Second Chance
by LocalXmusicXjellybeanX
Summary: SYOC-closed. On the first day of school at Manhattan Regional High I was warned that the students I was to teach would be like a zoo. I didn't know how true that would be until I sucked it up, and tried to get through my first day. I had to prove that they weren't a zoo, and that they weren't misguided.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"There a zoo," the plump lady at the desk in the schools office had told me, as I handed in my forms for my first day of being a teacher at Manhattan Regional High School. In my head, I had heard the same voice, in which my own voice had been telling me. I wouldn't admit that though, especially, since it was Daz who had talked me into this.

"I'll be their zoo keeper," I tell her, as I sign my last signature, and she still looks at me as though she doesn't believe that Hero is really my first name, and I didn't really want to go into detail as to why my name was what it is.

"Good luck with that. You'll need it," she tells me, before she goes back to typing on her computer, as she was doing before I had even come in. I sigh, thinking to myself as to how this school was already stereotyping students, in which, I didn't think was fair to the students, and then leave the office, and head towards the area I would be in.

"Hello, you must be the new Literature teacher," I hear a male with an Irish accent announce, as I had found the wing, and my room number.

"Hello. Yes, that's me. Hero Smith," I tell him with confidence, as I continue to stand outside my door.

"I'm sure you heard about that bunch. The class of fourteen teens, who will not want to hear about how _Romeo and Juliet. _Well anyways, I'm Miles Davis. Freshman accounting teacher," he tells me happily, as I make a mental note that when he asks me out on a date, I would have to break his heart and tell him that I already have a boyfriend.

"Well Mr. Davis, it was nice meeting you, but I have a zoo to tend to in less than a half an hour, and I would really love to prepare for it," I tell Miles, as I hope that I don't sound bad-mannered, and turn to enter my classroom.

"You as well Ms. Smith, and good luck. Oh, and for starters, don't start out with Shakespeare," he adds, as I finally head into the classroom. If I was going to start off the school year with kids who obviously weren't going to be looked at without stereotyping, then I would have to think hard.

A bit later, as the bell went off, and students started piling in, I had come in with my last minute plan, and I waited until everyone was in that would be a part of the class, if they had chose, and technically, I couldn't stop them if they didn't want to be here. Then my idea had come into effect.

Has anyone ever read a book called 'My Posse Don't Do Homework'"? I asked the group of teenagers sitting and pretending that they had interest. I wasn't surprised when no one had raised their hand. The book would be outdated, and it would have been a miracle had they heard of it. The only thing that they may have heard of would be how phenomenal Michelle Phiefer was in the movie.

"Are we going to learn anything here today, or are we going to talk about shit that no one cares about? This is the twenty first century, not the stone age," a student in back had announced, and the rest of the classroom had broken out in laughter.

Then something had come to mind. "Okay, if no one has read that, then who can tell me what these three titles have in common," I announce as I turn around and write what they were on the whiteboard. "If anyone gets it right, no homework will be given out. Now for the catch," I announce, as I look around, and hope that this is a challenge for them. I could see that they were thinking, and I wasn't about to give them the answer.

"You get it wrong, we start with _Romeo and Juliet_, and an eight paragraph essay about you wished it could be modernized, or you get to join the community show choir," I announce proudly, as I was sure that this would give them some motivation.

"Honestly, no one gives a shit about this. You're just a teacher, who is waiting for us to fail every week," a male student spoke up, as the bell rang announcing the end of class. I hadn't erased the whiteboard, as I had left the clues up. I wanted them to have motivation, and if that took three songs written about _Lord of the Rings_ which had become famous by Led Zeppelin, then so be it. One way or another, I was going to tame this zoo, even if music had to be involved.

I can honestly say, that it hadn't worked out right, and I wasn't about to give up on these kids, as other teachers in this school system had, and I could recall being in their shoes, but I pushed that aside. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but hell, it was worth a short, and in nine months from now, these kids would be better than just a zoo, but the words that haunted me the most was the boy who had said those words before class left. Hell, maybe, I could even get him to look at colleges. Who knew? I knew I didn't, and I knew that there was something else I could do, and I would have to call him at lunch time, and that person, was someone I knew I could call for anything. My step-brother, Brady.

* * *

><p>Okay, so this is a different SYOC, and I'm not even sure as to how this is going to work, but hey, it's a shot. I'm accepting 12 more students, being as I have two already in the story (one my own character, and the other belonging to Linneagb). For more about Hero and Daz, I would recommend reading my story <em>New Year, New Directions<em>. 


	2. Chapter 1

Thank you everyone who sent in characters. It means a lot to me.

Also, in case anyone who would like to submit characters, Riana Salvatore has a story that is running along this one, which will be one of their rivals at Nationals, and as far as I know (as of now) none of the characters will meet before then.

I will have the tumblr, and cast list for this story up by the end of the week. This chapter will have three POV's. Brycen Woods,

Chapter 1

"You," I hear someone call out. I turn around to see who it is, or if I even have any classes with them, then, as cliché as it is, I point to myself.

"Yeah, you," he announces, as he comes closer, and I get a chance to look at him. I have no clue who he is, but I recognize the fandom t-shirt that he's wearing, and his blue eyes, his messy dirty blond hair, and I wonder why of all people in this school, he had to talk to me. Then I push myself back into reality.

"I have a name, you know?" I point out, as though it were a question, as a couple more students pass as they were headed to their lockers, or headed to class. I was wondering when I would be a part of them.

"Not that it matters, but I'm Brycen," I point out to this kid, as I was curious as to who he was, and then just for some reason had totally forgotten what I had wanted when I see a couple of students who had already decided to make out in the hallway. Then he finally decides that he wants to say something.

"Yeah, I'm aware. You sit up front with the rest of the nerds, and I sit in the back of the room, trying to learn something," he tells me, as I'm aware that he still hasn't told me what he wanted. If anything at all. I had just started here after moving from Vermont, so I had guessed that wasn't it. This kid was already starting make me annoyed, and if he didn't hurry up and tell me what he wanted, I was about to go all Robb Stark on him, and I was sure the school wouldn't like that, in which case, I was sure that I would be kicked out, and back to Vermont I would go.

"Get to your point. I have a class to get to, and I'm sure that the wouldn't look good on my record," I sarcastically tell him, as I adjust my messenger bag, and try to look for the escape route to the science division, where I was sure I would be labeled yet again, or worse, I would be stuck with the _Dr. Who_ fans, which was mainly the reason I hated science to begin with.

"Never mind. I'll just go to art class, where I can sleep, and still get a passing grade," Atticus tells me sarcastically, and walks away, and sadly, I watch as he walks away. Sure, I may have been crushing on him, but I wasn't about to tell him that, because, honestly I doubted he would would share the same views as I did, as I turn around and head for the science division thinking how bad that this school, even though it was in Manhattan, it still sucked.

-Second Chances-

-Miley-

I walk by the music room, and hear someone playing piano, though I had no idea what the song was. I assumed something that wasn't cool enough to listen to these days, or maybe it was an original song. Whoever and whatever it was, it sounded nice. I just smile, and walk towards my next class, though it wouldn't be for another few minutes. Normally, I'd out pranking the theater nerds, because, lets face it, this school sucks on the theater department, and was to cheap to support an American football team, as other schools around here do.

"You're here early," I hear someone announce, as they seem surprised to see me there.

"I'm trying something new. I want the seats up front, so I can see better," I sarcastically answer, as the other student as they come and sit beside me. I quickly smile to myself, because, hell, this girl was beautiful! I wanted to know more about her, but I wasn't sure if she was a lesbian or not. One way or another, I was going to find out.

She twirled with her hair, so she could give the illusion that she had curly hair, and when I looked at her again, I noticed her green eyes. How had I not noticed them earlier? Then I risk it.

"I'm Miley Brooks," I tell her, and make a note that was the first step to finding out about this girl.

"Like Miley Cyrus?" she asks sounding confused, as though, I had made the name up.

"Yeah, like her," I answer, as a few more students walk in, and scatter about looking for seats to sit in so they could be there for class, and pretend to pay attention. Then I saw one of last years theater nerds walk in, and then I turn my attention back to the girl.

"Ava Mills," she tells me, as it seems the last of the students who would be attending the class walked in, and chose the last remaining seats. Then she seems to avoid me, so I had guessed that she wasn't into girls. _Figures_.

"Alright now more chit-chat, lets get right to it," our teacher announces, as he walks inside the classroom, and immediately walks up to the whiteboard, and starts writing down math problems, but I couldn't get my mind off Ava, despite, I had always thought Ava was a hookers name.

Just then, someone's cell phone had gone off. "Also, no cell phones in this classroom, unless otherwise stated," he announces to the class, and continues writing on the whiteboard.

"Ava, do you have anything to do tonight?" I ask, as soon as the bell rings, and I catch up with her after class, and I got some judgmental looks, but I didn't care. I knew what I was risking. What was the worse that could happen anyways?

"I have a full day of homework to get to, and no, I don't need a study buddy," she tells me, as though suddenly I was the person she had hated, and wanted nothing to do with.

"I wasn't asking that. I just wanted to hang out, but never mind," I tell her, as I walk towards my locker, and then I had plans to head the music room, and play some piano. Maybe work on a cover that I had wanted to finish. I get to my locker, and ditch my math book, and grab the next thing I needed. A copy of _the Catcher in the Rye_.

-Second Chances-

-Frankie-

I hated it. This school already, I mean. Then again, I was a freshman, I was supposed to hate this school. If you really wanted to know more, I'm originally from France, and took three years learning English, and a top that, I'm fourteen, and have fibromyalgia, which is why I'm here in Manhattan.

As I walk to my next class I hear someone singing a song by Ed Sheeran, and wonder who would sing a song out in the middle of the hallway of a high school, I doubted he noticed that no one was really paying attention, but he sounded good. Finally I had decided to walk up to him, and talk to him, even if it was a gutsy move.

"You auditioning for anything?" I ask him nervously.

"I have theater next, and I think we're doing some musical, or something like that," he tells me cheerfully, though, I doubted it were true. "Were you thinking of joining as well?" he adds in a faux British accent.

"Nope. I have freshman math classes," I tell him honestly. Though, I despised math most of the time, and wasn't sure as to how I would like this class. The main reason I hated math so much, was because, I was so good at it.

"I've already gone through all of those classes. I got honors last semester," he tells me, as he slips on his headphones, and heads towards his class. Maybe, I should have told him that this was only the first semester, and the second day of school, but didn't have the chance. Then again, I wondered if it would make any difference, and headed in the direction of math class.

"Over here!" my friend, Coby Steller signals to me, as I step inside, and then removes his backpack so I can have a spot to sit in at the front of the room.

"So what do we have plans for today?" I ask, as I sit down at the desk beside him, and pull out my textbook, so I could pretend to pay attention to Mr. Irish Accent teacher.

"Well we could always trash Ms. Smith's classroom, and blame the seniors," Coby suggests happily, as though he had been planning this for a while, in which, I wouldn't doubt that he had been. That was just Coby.

"We don't have seniors in the class. I don't think, anyways," I tell him, and I could the fake sadness in his eyes, after I had said it.

"Well they can't all be freshman can they?" he asks, as he gets his hopes up again, and I wonder if I should change the subject, and tell him about Ed Sheeran singing boy, in which, I thought he was cute.

"No. I don't suppose they can be, but we can find out, since that's our next class," I tell him, as the bell before class goes off, and announces that we're students for fifty five minutes, and we would have to learn about accounting.

"I suppose we can," I whisper to him, as Mr. Irish Accent writes on the whiteboard, and then turns to us to understand what was on the agenda for today, and a test was written underneath with an underline.

"We studying at your house tonight?" whispers Coby, as we go over the chapter that we would need for the test, and I was wondering who was going to be ready tomorrow, since this test was officially less than twenty four hours away.

"Sounds good," I answer him, as the bell goes off, and announces that we have about six minutes to get to our lockers, and grab our stuff, and get back to our next class. As we walk towards our lockers, I see Ed Sheeran singing guy, and sort of waved to him, though he didn't see me. When we got done with our lockers, we headed to Ms. Smith's class.

When we stepped inside, I saw Ed Sheeran singing guy sitting middle section of the classroom, someone else sitting in back, looking as though he were asleep, in which I doubted he was. We also saw book titles, and song titles on the whiteboard. I guess, she had been serious about what she had said yesterday about the singing thing.

This could become interesting, as other students walked in the classroom.


	3. Chapter 2

Alright before we begin, I'm stuck on names for this group, and aside the fact that I'm still in love with Kyle Gallner's character, Impulse, who was on Smallville, I can't seem to think of a name for this new group. So, my question (poll sort of) is does anyone have any names that they would like for this group, or should I stick with _Impulse_?

If I haven't gotten to your characters Polyvore yet, I will shortly. I promise.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

-Jude-

I finished rapping _Don't _as soon as Ms. Smith walked in. Immediately upon entering, and noticing that everyone is in the classroom, she stands in front of the whiteboard, and gets straight to business.

"You have good vocals there Jude," she tells me happily, and looks my way, and then looks around the classroom again, and I smile.

"Thanks Ms. Smith," I answer her kindly enough, as I was sure that now the entire classroom had known that I was singing, and honestly, I didn't mind that. I was actually proud that they knew. Maybe that would be a good thing. Or so I had hoped.

"Not a problem, Jude," Ms. Smith happily announces, as she turns back around, and writes something on the whiteboard again, and then turns back to us.

"Since, I highly doubt, and I would highly shocked if anyone did as I asked last night, I'm making it official," she announces, and I can hear every other student making sounds as though it were the end of the world. "So, I'm assigning students a part of _Romeo and Juliet_, and the project starts now," she adds as she writes my name beside some girl, in which, I had guessed until now. I didn't know, but I had the feeling I was about to.

"I'm Katy," she announces, as she moves seats with someone else, and comes and sits beside me. I smile, because, I think already liked her, and I know how my grandma had taught me to have respect for ladies no matter what. It was then that I also realized that she had an Italian accent, so I assumed that she must have been from Italy at some point in her life. Being from New York City, you had all kinds of walks of life, and one way or another it ended up all together.

"So how are we going to do this?" she asks me, ash she meets my brown eyes, and then looks away quickly.

"I don't know. Are you interested in going to Central Park?" I ask hoping that she'd say yes. I wasn't asking her out, or at least, I don't think I was.

"Ewww. Are you asking me out?" she asks me rudely, as she ignores my looking this time, and then I knew I had to ask.

"You're not racist are you?" I ask, hoping that she wasn't though, it is possible, as much as I wanted to put it into reality.

"No. I just. Oh never mind. Meet me later, and we'll head to the park to get this stupid assignment done," she tells me, and then she goes back to where she was originally. I liked her, but I wasn't going to push the issue, if she didn't want to show it back.

-Second Chance-

-Atticus-

"Oh, and did I mention that this is going to be a musical project?" Ms. Smith adds, as she hands out sheets which have our parts in them.

"Romeo and Juliet world famous play about two preteens having sex, getting married, and committing suicide, and minusing the getting married part, it all happens in the real world, so why do we even have to read it!" I protest, as she gives me the paper, and looks at me, as she could tell I was already going to be the one that she was going to have trouble with.

"Well Mr. Baker, if you're so certain, you don't want to do the assignment, I could assign you a different book to read, but being as I know that'll satisfy you, I'm denying that, and you're getting the assignment I'm giving you. Now Amy, would you come over, and sit at the desk with Atticus Baker over here," Ms. Smith tells one of the girls from another part of the classroom.

-Second Chance-

-Amy-

I did as Ms. Smith had instructed me to do. I got up, and sat beside this boy. At first, I hated the fact that he was acting like a dick, but what could I do about it? If he didn't want to do the assignment that was fine by me, but I wanted to get this done.

"Well Romeo now have fun, and don't die," Ms. Smith mentioned, and walked away as though, the entire conversation had never happened. I look up in hazel green eyes, and then quickly look away. I didn't want him to know. At least not yet anyways, and for now I would like to keep it that way. I look around the room, and try to figure out who was partnered with whom.

"Look can we just get this stupid thing over with? Besides, I rather hate the play," he remarks at the end of class, and stands up as though he was in a rush to get out of here, and for some reason, I can't blame him. I think everyone wants to get out of here for there own reasons.

"You're stuck with me Romeo, so you better deal with it," I tell him, as I follow him to his locker, and I can see that he hates the idea that I followed him. When he's done, he slams his locker, and runs his fingers through his sandy blond hair.

"Thanks for reminding me. I have the entire seasons of _LOST_ I would rather be reading than reading a stupid play," he tells me. That was it. I just couldn't stand him, and no matter what I was going to make sure we got through this, and I could get my grade. Then that was when I punched him.

"What the hell was that for?" he asks me, as he slides his backpack down over his left shoulder, and we start to head toward the metro stops.

"I think you know. Besides, we both know that at the next stop we have a five minute walk," I point out as we climb onto the metro. Then I hear something I never thought I'd hear from Atticus. Him singing, and an idea came to mind.

"Romeo," I start out, knowing that sooner or later, he was going to hate me for that, but it gets his attention.

"Stop calling me that. I have a name, besides, if you want to call me something call me Hans," he tells me, as we get off at the metro stop, and we head towards our apartments.

"Is that a character from a book series, or do you like want to be named after Hans Christian Andersen?" I ask, as we walk continue walking, ans as we get closer some kids are playing basketball in the alleyways.

"Something like that," he tells me, as we finally reach his apartment, and we enter inside, and I see the two bedroom apartment, and without any introduction, we head into his bedroom, and he goes back to ignoring me as he reaches for his guitar.

-Second Chance-

-Noah-

Out of all the people in our class I had to get stuck with the girl who I had no clue of who she was. I collect my papers, and meet up with Jude, as he heads to his locker at the end of class. As he approaches his locker, I see a few other students meet up with each other, and talk about how their day sucked, I would liked to have imagined my brother, Matthew would have been one of them, and then I realize he's never coming back. You don't come back from suicide, no matter how much you pray for them to come back.

"You alright man?" I hear Jude ask, as he shakes me into reality, though, I had wished he hadn't, but I wasn't about to tell him that. If he didn't know, he didn't need to know.

"I'm fine. Just tired," I lie to him, and he smiles, as I assumed he had bought it.

"Who were you assigned to for your _Romeo and Juliet _assignment?" Jude asks changing the subject, and grabbing his Life science book, and then shutting his locker, as his sister, or I assumed it was his sister walked up to him, and then smiles at me, and for a moment, I thought I had smiled back, but because I hadn't done that in a long time, I couldn't be sure if I had.

"I have some girl by the name of Miley," I tell Jude, as I suddenly feel uncomfortable about it. I mean, what if she tries to pry, and find out things about me, and I don't want to share? I wasn't going to open up, no matter what.

"I know her. She's in my health class. She's the Australian right," the girl I assumed was his sister spoke up, as she looked at me and smiled again, and I couldn't help but wonder how beautiful she was, but I knew I couldn't be with her. It wasn't that I was racist, because, hell I wasn't, but it was because of other matters.

"Yeah, that's correct," I heard the accent come from behind us, as she got closer, and she looked ready for ballet class, and I wondered how we would get this assignment done, if she had classes tonight.

"Hello Ingrid," Miley announced happily, as she stepped up close to us, and I saw that she had some girl with her. Ava. I think her name was. I knew I had a class with her, and I tried to recall.

"Are we ready to get going?" Miley asks, as she looks at me, and then quickly looks away, as though looking at boys were against her religion.

"Just one question, if you're going to ballet class, how are we going to do this assignment?" I ask as we leave the school, and head towards the metro, and pass the campus of one of neighboring schools, in which we could hear marching band to, and know that they're preparing for their homecoming.

"I have that covered. I have lessons, in which, I teach for three hours and we can spend time there,and before you get any ideas this isn't a date. I'm into girls," she tells me all at once, as we we reach the metro.

"Is that why you're hanging around Ava?" I ask her out of curiosity. I hoped that I didn't just cross the line, as I grab a cigarette, and put it in my mouth, but don't light it. I wondered if I should.

"You smoke?" she asks shocked, and I take a moment wondering if I should say yes. In all honestly, I had started after Matt's suicide. I worked on quitting after reading _the Fault in Our Stars_ after it was revealed Gus had kept a pack, but he never lit one up.

"It's a metaphor," I tell her as I quoted Gus from the book and movie, and pray that she didn't get the reference. If she didn't she didn't say anything, and I realize that she didn't answer my question about Ava. I doubted she would.

"Ava, and I are just friends," she tells me as we step off at the stop, and exit the underground, and head up above ground to the overcrowded streets of Manhattan, and walk past the movie stores that had been advertising something about _Mad Men_, which even though, it was set in the New York in the sixties, I never understood what was so great about the show. If you followed Wall Street history, you already knew how it ended anyways.

"Are you hungry?" I ask as we pass a Manhattan bakery, and I at least wanted to grab something to eat, since I hadn't eaten anything since this morning.

"Thanks, but no. I have to get to class," she tells me. "I'll come in though," she adds, as I shrug and enter the bakery, and see that some lady by the name of Julia is taking orders. She smiles, as I step up to the counter, and order a chocolate eclair, and a strawberry mango smoothie. When I'm done we head for her classes.

As I sit there, and watch her coach her classes, I sit and reach through the act that we were assigned, and one song had come to mind, and for some reason, it fit considering we got the scene where Juliet was standing on the balcony at the party, and as she finishes up, I begin to sing the familiar song from the Beatles.

_Well she was just seventeen_

_And you know what I mean_

_And the way she looked_

_Was way beyond compare_

"How does that song work into the assignment. Romeo and Juliet were thirteen," Miley pointed out, as she comes down, and sits beside me at the end of her class.

"How could it not? Romeo does technically see her standing on the balcony, and was instantly in love, in which, at that age back in those days, that was legal age to get hitched with," I point out to her, as I begin to sing the next part.

_So how could I dance with another_

_Ooo, when I saw her standing there?_

_Well she looked at me_

_And I, I could see_

_That before too long_

_I'd fall in love with her _

"Okay, I get it, but you had better bring your A Game tomorrow, because I'm not failing by you deciding to go all Beatles Mania on me," she tells me, as she gets up, and brushes herself off, and lends me her hand.

"You've got yourself a deal," I tell her as we finish up, and I stand at the entrance of the dance studio, and get ready to leave. Suddenly I thought of how sweet it was that she was doing this, and I started to think that like myself, there were things that she wasn't ready to open up to, and I hoped in time, she would, because maybe we stood a chance to be friends, and with that, I slip out and head for home.

* * *

><p>Okay, the first part of the <em>Romeo &amp; Juliet<em> musical is done, so the next chapter will be part two, and possibly the next chapter after that.  
>Song credit:<em> When I Saw Her Standing There<em> by the Beatles.

Coming up..._Check Yes Juliet/_ "I deserve to be in my child's life" / "How does this compare to Merlin?"


	4. Chapter 3

First, and foremost, sorry for the delayed chapter. It's been very busy where I am due to the holidays, and school breaks so I haven't had time to get this chapter as I had planned, so I apologize in advance for such a short chapter.

So this is going to introduce Devan Snow very briefly. For those of you following Riana Salvatore's story, he's Livvy's boyfriend, and his part in this chapter will contain no spoilers for her plot line, and will not be unless, Riana states otherwise that she would like me or her to do so. Also in this chapter, I will introduce a few more characters who haven't been in the story yet.

-Second Chance-

Chapter 3

-Anna-

_Romeo and Juliet_, and I had no idea who it was that I was partnered up with. Also, what was the big deal about having to do this play, anyways? Didn't this teacher realize that it was the twenty first century, and no one cared about this play anymore. I just smile, and shrug it off, as I pick up my backpack, and head towards the metro.

"Wait for me," I hear a males voice call out, as I was about to step on. I looked to see who it was, and I tried to figure out how I recognized him. Then it dawned on me. He was in my class, and I tried to figure out who he was.

"Just made it," he throws a little cheer, as he makes the metro just before it departs, and at that moment, I receive a text from Jay, my best friend since we were kids, and yes, I admit that I have a crush on him. I often picture us as a couple, but I don't know. Then the boy who made it brings me back to reality, as I pull out my phone to text him back.

"Sorry, I recognize you, but I can't place it," I tell him as I try not to sound rude, as I meet his brown eyes, and the spot a poster telling us dates of one of the popular shows on Broadway. _Wicked_. I believe it was.

"Mattias. I usually sit up front in Ms. Smith's class. I'm supposed to be your _Romeo and Juliet _partner," he tells me at once, as though he had played this scenario in his head a couple of times since the end of class. "You are Anna, correct?" he asks wonderingly, and then smiles.

"You've got the right person," I tell him happily, as I receive another text from Jay, as the Metro reaches one of its destinations, and then continues, and I have one more stop until I depart.

"Have any idea as to what we're going to sing for tomorrow?" he asks, as a couple more people come onto the metro and find their seats, and go onto their what they do after work lives. A couple of minutes later, I hear someone singing a cover of a popular song that I'm familiar with. Then I looked at Mattias, or Matt or whatever his name was, and answered him.

"I do actually how familiar are you with _I Will Follow you in The Dark?" _I ask him, as I was familiar with it. I had hoped he had because it fit the song for the end of the play, and Ms. Smith would hopefully see it that way.

"No, but I'm sure YouTube can help with that," he tells me as we come to our stop, and I didn't really want him to know about my daughter yet. I wasn't ready for anyone to know except Jay, even though, she wasn't his.

"I have things to do, but do you have Skype?" I ask him as the idea comes to mind. I was sure that he did because who didn't have Skype these days?

"Yes, and I can be on tonight, though it would have to be late tonight," he tells me, as he quickly writes down his screen name so I would be able to find him and add him so we could get this song done.

"Alright, I think I can manage that," I tell him. I just hoped that I could, and then I greet him goodbye, and head towards the apartment, and I watched as he had done the same, except in the opposite direction, and smile at the thought that Jay would be watching my daughter, and I would be able to see him.

-Second Chance-

-Brycen-

"I got it! I got the part!" I hear Devan Snow exclaim excitedly as some of his buddies greet him at his locker. Hell, I think the entire school knew in like ten seconds. When that was old news he went back to being Devan Snow. Texting someone on his phone, throwing a football between his buddies who had greeted him, and everyone was okay with that. He was the popular golden boy, so why wouldn't it be okay.

Then someone broke me from my trance of watching him. At first I didn't recognize the voice, until he spoke again, and then I noticed the hoodie he was wearing first.

"You know, he has a girlfriend, who attends another school," Atticus tells me, and I wonder how he knew about that. Of course, that was probably a fact that everyone had known. Then someone else. Amy, I think comes up behind him, and she smiles.

"Are you two?" I ask, as I turn and close my locker, as I turn to get ready for class, and throw my algebra book in my messenger bag. Okay, yes, I did have a crush on Atticus, but I wasn't going to admit that, besides, that was yesterday and today was a different ball game.

"Nope. Matter of fact, we spent last night arguing over what we were going to perform in class more than we did anything else," Atticus tells me, and then brushes his fingers through his hair, as though he were trying to style it cooler, in which wouldn't happen, because face it – he had no styling sense.

"I would think you'd want to make it look different, otherwise, everyone is going to think different," I tell them as the bell rings, which tells us we had better get to class, as I think that they were totally in the closet about their so called non relationship, but there was no way I was going to tell them that. Then as I head in the direction of class, I take one last look at Devan, and walk away in the direction of class, and at that moment, I had run into that Katy girl from Ms. Smith's class.

-Katy-

"Would you watch we're you're going?" I sarcastically ask the kid from class. I remembered his name, because, it was a weird name, and who would name their kid Brycen, anyways? It wasn't even American.

"Sorry, I was thinking of something, and are you always this rude?" he mentions as someone else from another class walks by texting someone who was probably in class, and needed notes or something.

"Sometimes, it's a habit though," I tell him, as I adjust my backpack, and step inside the classroom, and find my seat in the middle section of the room, only to realize that he had class as well, and I roll my eyes.

"How can you sometimes be rude? Either you are, or you aren't? It's like choosing Team Frodo or Team Harry. Two different," he begins to tell me, but I block him out, and then look back at him, as he sits down beside me.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it, just save that for when we have class," I tell him, as Mr. Turner walks in, and quickly gets to writing the agenda on the whiteboard, and without notice puts questions on the whiteboard.

"Alright now for those of you who did your homework last night, you'll know what those questions stand for, and for those of you who didn't it might be a good idea to start studying, because, there will be more questions like this, and I would expect that everyone knows what they are," Mr. Turner tells us, as though he had been planning this all this time.

"Mr. Turner, I did the next few chapters," Brycen announces as he raises his hand.

"That's quite alright," Mr. Turner tells Brycen, and I make the mental note that of course it would be okay for him to do this. I had suspected that someone in the class would be a math-aholic, and of all people, it had to be him.

As class ended, and we passed in our work for the day, I had to say something to him. I couldn't stand him and he needed to know that. Or maybe he already did, either way I was going to say something, but he was already gone, and I made a mental note to tell him later.

I reach my locker, and I see Miley talking some girl. Ava. I think her name was. She seemed familiar, and then I heard something about how they would make a cute couple at Homecoming in a few weeks. Oh please, Ava was a player, and it appeared everyone knew it but Miley. When they're done talking, I walk up to Miley.

"Why on earth would be dating Ava Santiago?" I ask, as push some of my hair back out of my face, and meet her eyes. Damn. She had pretty eyes. Then I look around the hallways, and watch some of the nerd kid head to their nerdy classes.

"Who said I was dating her? Besides why would that matter to you?" she asks me coldly, yet, she sounded very curious, as her eyes met mine, and she clutched her bag over her shoulder, and I could tell she was getting ready for class.

"I could explain that to you today over burgers at McDonald's," I tell her, as I look around the corridor and hope that she accepts this. I had no idea if she would or not, but I hoped that she would.

"I don't do _McShronald's_ but I'm still up for a burger. How about Birch Coffee?" she asks as she turns and heads towards class, before I could give her an answer.

-Second Chance-

-Amy-

"I deserve to be in my child's life," Asher Oliver announces, as he catches me outside of Ms. Smith's classroom, which was when I had hoped he wouldn't catch me. Yes, some people knew our history, and others didn't and I preferred to keep it that way. For the ones who saw me with Asher would figure it out.

"For what? You haven't been there for Macy at all, and now you want to be in her life!" I protest, as I try to push him aside so I could get ready for class, and do my presentation with Atticus. I had no other choice, and secretly, I liked hanging out with him, and learning about the TV show _LOST_ (spoiler alert: _It never happened._)

"So, I can change that, besides I am her father, and she deserves to know who I am," Asher states, as the bell rings, and he turns to head for his next class, which was about to begin.

"This conversation isn't over Amy," he tells me, and walks away, and I step inside the room that was waiting for me, and I was happy because it would take away my worries for about forty five minutes. When Atticus sees me he smiles.

"So you ready?" he asks me as I sit down beside him, and I pull out my sheet of paper, which explained the song, and would hopefully get us an A on the project, as Ms. Smith walks into the classroom.

"Alright, so who's ready?" she asks us happily, and no one volunteered. "At least one performance, and I promise, we'll be onto another book, in which I'm sure all of us will like, and we'll never have to speak of _Romeo and Juliet_ ever again," she pleads, as she hopes one of us will take the first move. Then Atticus raises his hand.

"Amy, and I will go," Atticus tells Ms. Smith, and everyone one is looking at us like we're nuts, in which, Atticus probably is.

"Floor is yours," Ms. Smith tells us happily, as she steps aside, and we walk to the front of the room. For the first time, I noticed everyone in the classroom. Inside this classroom we were considered misguided. Outcasts. We were the students who couldn't prove to the school system we had a chance.

_Check yes, Juliet_

_Are you with me?_

_Rain is falling down on the sidewalk_

_I won't go until you come outside_

_Check yes, Juliet_

_Kill the limbo_

_I'll keep tossing rocks at your window_

_There's no turning back for us tonight_

**Lace up your shoes**

**Ayo ayo**

**Here's how we do**

_Run, baby, run_

_Don't ever look back_

**They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance**

**Don't sell your heart, don't say we're not meant to be**

_Run, baby, run, forever we'll be_

_You and me_

Then the rest of the class clapped, mainly because it was over, and we would never have to think about the two Star Cross'd lovers again, and when I get back to our seats, I pick up the paper, and give it to Ms. Smith, and the sit back down.

"Thank you Amy, and Atticus. Now for everyone else, please if you do have them done, please hand me in your essays explaining your songs, if you don't have them done, I will extend it until Thursday and no later. Also, I will be accepting this as a DVD, but must be less than ten minutes long in debate format. Okay, moving on," Ms. Smith announces to the class, as she writes on the board, clues to our next book. Before she was done, Atticus figured the book out.

"Ms. Smith, are we reading _the Fault in Our Stars_?" Atticus asks, as he once again raises his hand, and being all the groans from the rest of the class, I assumed he was right. I had heard of the book, and I think somewhere in the closet in room I had it.

"That's correct, Atticus," Ms. Smith announces happily, as she writes that on the whiteboard, and then tells us what is next for the assignment. "When this project wraps up, I'll be grading you on a group number," she adds happily.

"How exactly does that work?" Jude asks curiously, as he grabs his copy of the book. "We could easily cover a song from the soundtrack," he adds in debate, and Ms. Smith smiles as though this is what she had wanted.

"That would be fine, and probably the best, but you still have to include an eight paragraph essay explaining how it fits and pass it in," she mentions, before the bell rings, and the class comes to an end for the day.

"Amy wait up," I hear Atticus call out to me, as I was about to leave, and he was still at the desk, and I wonder what he wanted, so I stay and wait, as I adjust my backpack again.

"Come to the music room with me," he tells me happily, as though, he had this planned, and smiles at me.

"Why would I want to do that? Do you want people to think we're a couple, or something?" I ask him jokingly, as we step outside the classroom, and I see someone make their way into Ms. Smith's classroom. I can't say that I recognized him though, which was odd, because I knew every teacher in this school, and I wondered who it was. Then I turn my attention back to him.

"It's nothing bad, and it's not even a date, unless you want it to be," he tells me, as we walk to the music room, and I don't answer him, and then we enter the music room, and he walks up the piano, and takes a seat.

"You might want to sit for this," he tells me, and so I do, and then I think of the time, and think of Macy, knowing I would have to get back to her, and then smile at Atticus, thinking how I would have to break his heart when I told him that this wasn't a date.

Then he began to play notes to a popular song I had heard a lot of a couple of years ago, and then it died right down. _ Boom Clap_, and then it began to be something else. Something I had never heard of but it was good.

When he was done, he came down to where I was, and looked at me, and then smiled.

"So what do you think?" he asks me happily, as though it were a big deal, and to him, it probably was.

"I liked the _Boom Clap_ part, but what was the second part?" I state wonderingly as I pick up my backpack and put it on my back, as I was getting ready to go. I had to get back to my daughter, though I wasn't going to tell him that.

"It's a cover of _Mhysa_ it's from the season three finale of _Game of Thrones_," he tells me, and then I realize I had to ask what it was for, and then I feared I didn't want to know as our eyes meet, and I smile again.

"It's for the end of this year for when I apply to college. I just thought you should know," he tells me, and picks up his backpack, and heads to leave to exit the music room. I stood there frozen for a few moments wondering if I should catch up with him, and then I run after him.

"I don't care if you're going to graduate next year. I am as well, and honestly, I was thinking that was great, and if they don't accept you wherever you apply, they're out of their minds, so can we just fast forward, and pretend that this awkward conversation never happened," I mention to him as we escape the school, and head towards the metro.

"Yeah, lets do that," he tells me, as we exit the school, and we walk each other towards the metro, and I think to myself as when I should tell him about Macy, because that conversation wouldn't be as nearly as awkward as me telling him about the college application.

"Atticus, there's something I need to tell you," I tell him as we reach the metro, and show we show our passes, and wait for the metro to show up. I don't even wait for him to ask what it's about before I let it slip. "I have a baby, and her name is Macy," I tell him hoping he wouldn't hate me.

"Amy, honestly, I'm okay with that," he tells me, as we get off the metro at our stop, and I smile because, I was happy he said that. Not many people support teenage moms, especially boys. "Can I walk you home?" he asks quickly, as we begin to walk towards our destinations.

"That would be great," I tell him, as I adjust my backpack, and walk beside him. A short time later, I accidentally grab his hand, and quickly let go after what I had done. I wasn't falling for him, and I meant it.

* * *

><p>First and foremost: <strong>Merry Christmas<strong> to everyone who celebrates it :D

Okay so Katy is trying to break Ava and Miley up. Brycen has a crush on Devan who is dating Livvy Thompson, and Atticus and Amy may be a couple. (_Despite the fact that I'm not a fan of the ending. I think I could have done a better one_.) This is the last chapter (for now) to feature Brycen and Atticus as main POV's, so I can give our other characters a chance to shine, in which I will do more of in the next chapter. As I have it planned, our beloved New Directions, will either appear at Regionals or Sectionals, and our group name is Impulse.

Song credit. _Check Yes Juliet_- We the Kings.


	5. Chapter 4

First, and foremost: Happy two year anniversary of my first SYOC _New Year, New Directions_, and happy new year to everyone else.

Sorry, that once again this chapter is (sort of) late, and probably will result in being short, but it's a chapter, and that's better than nothing, right? Also I have decided (with a little help from Rianna Salvatore) that New Directions will appear at Nationals.

-Second Chances-

Chapter 4

-Riley-

As soon as Ms. Smith mentioned _the Fault in Our Stars_ I zone out. Why on earth was that book a popular book anyways? Everyone already knows what happens in it, even if they hadn't read it before. I go back to scribbling in my notebook until the end of class. When the bell rings, I was happy to get out of there.

"Riley, wait up!" I hear someone protest, as I make a dash for my locker, so I can take care of my stuff, and get my metro pass, which would take me to where I needed to be, so I couldn't stay and talk, even if they wanted me to do so. Eventually, they do. Whoever it is.

"You forgot this," I hear the student announce, and then turn around to see who it was, though, already had an idea. It was Noah, or something like that. At first glance, I sort of had a crush on him, but there was no way that I was going to admit that. Why should every person in the world admit who they have a crush on, especially when they know that they don't stand a chance with them? I shut my locker, and plan to head towards the exit doorway of the school, and try to avoid him.

"Thanks, I guess," I tell him as I meet his eyes, and grab my copy of the book, and then quickly smile.

"Yeah, no problem," he tells me, and then he heads his separate way, which appears to be the auditorium where the theater kids would be working on the fall play, and then get right back to working on the Christmas musical as soon as the fall play was done. I watch him for a moment longer, and then make my way to nearest exit. I slip on my headphones, and make my escape towards the metro.

-Second Chance-

-Matías-

I see Riley as he boards the Metro, and honestly, I smile to myself, because I think of how lonely he is, and realize that he could use a friend or two. Maybe, he could be in our group of Jacobi, Frankie and myself. It is also that I realize I sort of have a crush on him, but I definitely wasn't going to tell him soon.

Then someone wearing a jacket showing that they supported Wounded Warrior Project stood in my way, and I couldn't see him, but I still knew he was on, so I decide to move around the person, and make my way to Riley, as he seemed lost in his own world by listening to his iPod.

"Is this seat open?" I ask hopefully, as he just looks and nods, and then looks back out the window, as though the view was going to change.

"The view isn't going to change. You're under Manhattan, and will end up in front of the Dunkin Donuts, I imagine you'd know that by now though," I tell him, and then the Metro starts to move right on time, as we both knew it would. Everyone knew the Subway system schedules, except the tourists who get lost all the time because it's their first time in the city, and end up taking the city buses,

"I'm aware, I just like to imagine some day that it will. I also imagine that there is graffiti on the side of these tubes, and that we can see them," he tells me coldly, but I didn't care. I wanted to be friends with him, even if it was for this Underground ride.

I look down at my feet, and then the next question comes up. I knew where I was headed, so I was curious as to where he was headed.

"The Student Center," he tells me unconvincingly, as the Subway stops, and a people get on and get off, and I think to myself that I recognize a couple of the people, and then get back to reality that it wasn't our stop for another fifteen minutes, and then I wonder if should say anything else to him, and then push it aside for the rest of the stop.

"You're headed the wrong way to attend the Student Center," I point out as we get above ground, and see Manhattan alive and busy, as usual. Manhattan was made of dreams after all. Or so it was said, or was that Ellis Island when the immigrants came? Either way at the moment I guessed it didn't really matter, and then I ran to catch up with him, but as I had planned to do that, I couldn't find him anywhere.

-Second Chance-

-Jacobi-

I felt the sting still, as I finished getting ready for school, and quickly picked up my new Gryffindor messenger bag, and quickly ran out the apartment door. I didn't want dad to hit me again, as he had already done. No it wasn't anything new, and honestly, though I was a teenager I doubted it would end soon.

As I exit the apartment building, I dig out my camera, and start wondering where to take some photos since I had time before I had to meet up with Frankie, and get on the Metro. Taking photos in Manhattan is always beautiful. No matter the season. You have graffiti artists, who always leave beautiful work behind, and you can take photos of. Sunrise or sunset photos are beautiful as well, and I can see why New York City (well Manhattan is technically a district in New York City) is one of the most photographed places in the United States. I get ready to take another shot when Frankie meets up with me, and boy am I happy to see her. Especially this morning.

"Morning Frankie," I greet her when she catches up with me, and I smile quickly, and she knows almost immediately whats wrong, but she doesn't ask. She's heard it too many times, but yet, she remains friends.

"Shall we get the trip to school, or for one day are we going to skip school, in which I doubt," she wonders, as she pulls out her mp3 player, and earbuds, and gives me one bud. I already knew what was going down. I'm happy when she picks the song that she does, and I smile, because the song is over thirty years, she knows how I can relate to it.

"Sad isn't it?" I ask, as we look at the departure list, and don't even wait for her answer me, as I begin to sing the words, even with people passing by. It's New York, so every one is used to people doing their own things in the terminals.

_Growin' up_

_You don't see the writin' on the wall_

_Passin' by_

_Movin' straight ahead you knew it all_

_But maybe sometime if you feel the pain_

_You'll find you're all alone_

_Everything has changed _

_Play the game_

_You know you can't quit until it's won_

_Soldier on_

_Only you can do what must be done_

_You know in some way_

_You're a lot like me_

_You're just a prisoner_

_And you're tryin' to break free_

Only then at the chorus of the song, she joined in, as she always did. I also noticed that she tried not showing she wasn't feeling good, and I knew why. I knew the signs all so well.

_I can see a new horizon_

_Underneath the blazin' sky_

_I'll be where the eagle's_

_Flyin' higher and higher_

_Gonna be your man in motion_

_All I need is a pair of wheels_

_Take me where my future's lyin'_

_St. Elmo's Fire_

As we reach the end of the chorus, the Metro arrives, and we gather our belongings, and board after showing our passes. Once on the Metro we're the individual invisible teenagers of New York, and belong to the school, even though, we're not there. Then a familiar face boards, but for he's wearing a school uniform for another school, one of the prep schools. Then I turn my attention back to Frankie, and wait for the rest of the way to school.

-Second Chances-

-Rosalie-

I collected my items from my locker, and then immediately headed to the music room. Sure, I could have tried to communicate with more of my fellow classmates, but I had class shortly, and I wanted to have some time by myself.

As I approach the music room, I hear someone playing a piano cover of Katy Perry's _Roar_, or at least, it sounded like it. Honestly, I have no idea why the song was such a huge hit back when it was a hit. I stand there wondering if I should go in or not. Then I open the door, and head in quickly.

"Oh sorry, I had no idea it was you," I tell the two people in the music room. Atticus Baker, and Mackenzie Mitchelle, and I wonder if they are a couple. "I'll let you two be," I tell them, as I get ready to leave the music room, even though, I wanted to leave my violin case on the '_reserved_' shelf, since our lockers were so small it wouldn't fit.

"Yeah, that would be great Rosemary," Mackenzie tells me coldly, and I guessed, that she didn't like me much. Then again, she was named the _Ice Queen, _or so it was said.

"It's not Rosemary. It's Rosalie," I point out, and roll my eyes, but yes, I'll leave. I have other classes to attend anyways," I tell her, and then I look at Atticus again very briefly.

"You can stay if you want, we're just killing time anyways," Atticus points out, as he turns to the piano again, and I notice that he had _the Fault in Our Stars_ sitting on top of the piano, and now I had gathered that the song couldn't have been _Roar. _

"Thanks. You sounded good, what was the song anyways?" I inquire, as I stand inside the doorframe of the music room, and put my messenger bag down on the floor, and look over at him, as I try to figure out what it was.

"It's an original song that I wrote for the assignment," he tells us, and then turns facing us, and then gets up from the piano bench, and picks up his copy of the book.

"How long did it take you to write it?" Mackenzie asks, and then smiles as though it were her idea to ask it first, and I doubted she would come up with something so creative, and my second thought was why wasn't Atticus in Honors or something? Hell, why was he even at this school if he had that much talent?

"Most of the night. I actually want to get out of this overcrowded city when I graduate next year," he tells us matter of factually, and puts his copy of the book in his backpack, and then shows that he wants to get to class.

"Why do you even attend this school, if you're that talented?" I ask him, as I beat McKenzie to the question this time, and wonder to myself if she could show that she was totally crushing on him any more obvious.

"I'm lucky to even be in this school. It's the only school in Manhattan that doesn't have the word scholarship anywhere in the fine print, if that makes sense," he tells us, and finally moves away from the piano bench looking as though he was headed to class. Sadly, he did make sense, but I noticed none of us were going tell him that, and I think he appreciated that.

"Mind if I sing something?" I ask, and I doubted that he did, as I sat down, but didn't touch the piano as I had first intended. Instead, I had something else in mind.

S_he got a body like an hourglass, but I can give it to you all the time_

_She got a booty like a Cadillac, but I can send you into overdrive_

Then before I could get any further, it had seemed that I had their attention, and Atticus had looked as though any voice besides the original artists could cover this song, but he pitched in anyways, as he had started to clap the beat, so I would get the perfect rhythm for this. _(oh) _

And then before anything else happened I saw Mackenzie stand up and get in swing of the song.

(_You've been waiting for that, stop, hold up, swing your bat_)

Then she winked, and then the vocal had gone back to me, and I wondered to myself how on earth someone who could act jealous that I was in the room with her and Atticus would be helping out with this now.

_See anybody could be bad to you,_

_You need a good girl to blow your mind, yeah_

_Bang bang into the room (I know you want it)_

_Bang bang all over you (I'll let you have it)_

_Wait a minute let me take you there (ah)_

_Wait a minute 'til ya (ah)_

_Bang bang there goes your heart (I know you want it)_

_Back, back seat of my car (I'll let you have it)_

_Wait a minute let me take you there (ah)_

_Wait a minute 'til ya (ah)_

And then the bell wrung and announced that we should be getting to class, and I would be back to my not so social life, as it mostly was anyways.

"I'll see you guys later, and maybe we could do that again," I hoped as I place the violin on the shelf, and then head towards accounting class.

* * *

><p>I believe I've officially introduced everyone finally. If I haven't please PM and let me know.<p>

Song credits: Saint Elmo's Fire - John Parr, Bang Bang - Jessie J ft. Ariana Grande & Niki Minaj. For songs I don't place in chapters, I have a playlist, and the link will be posted on the Tumblr.

Next chapter teaser: "Ava, I need to talk to you" / "Devan, are you gay?" / "Impulse has a chance at Regionals" 


	6. Chapter 5

Okay, so after hearing about Rianna's plans for a couple plot lines, a couple of mine will be pushed back a little it. As for Sectionals, I'm think around chapter 12 for mine maybe. Reason being, in NYND, it took place at chapter 24, and I would like something earlier than that.

Another thing, is after Sectionals, I am planning on writing a Vocal Adrenaline SYOC, which will have Mr. Schue directing. It's not really original, I know, but the idea won't leave my head. At least not yet.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

-Hero-

It had been another hard day, but I wasn't giving up on these kids. It wasn't that they were trying, because, they were. They just didn't want to show that they were. I think deep inside, what it really is, is that they're afraid of what the other students in the school would think. They were smart, and since the school already called them misguided, why prove it otherwise?

"So how's my favorite teacher?" I hear Daz ask, as I walked into the living room, and just plopped down. "Bad day, I take it?" he guessed as he paused the musical he had been watching, or started to watch. I wasn't sure which, and I rather didn't care at this point, given that I normally would.

"How did _Les Misérables_ auditions go?" I ask curiously changing the subject, as I usually would when I didn't want to talk about something. The same way as I had been when I was in high school.

"I got a call back," Daz tells me happily, as he gives me a kiss. I was happy for him, it had been a dream of his to be in this place since I had met him.

"You'll get it, I'm sure," I assure him happily, as a text comes in, and I wondered who it was at this time of night, though, technically seven thirty wasn't late, but I guess with some people you'd never know. It was my step brother Brady, who had finally seemed to want to answer me back.

"Brady finally answered me back," I tell Daz. "Should I tell him the news about it?" I ask jokingly, as finish sending my step brother the text.

"Are you kidding? He'll know anyways," Daz tells me happily, as he smiles, and then gives me another kiss. "When is he coming?" he adds.

"You have a point there," I tell him, as I realized I hadn't found out about when he was coming, and figured that I should probably find out, especially since, he would be helping me out with Impulse. I also realized that I hadn't told my class that they were a singing group who would be competing in competition. I would have to do that tomorrow, and I was sure that the reactions wouldn't be all that fun to listen to.

Then I got a text message back saying that he would be arriving tomorrow. I wasn't so sure that I wanted him here that soon. Especially, for something that takes place during class, but there was nothing I could do about that now.

* * *

><p>-Brycen-<p>

After getting home I immediately went to my bedroom, and turned on my laptop. I had to get this cover up on YouTube tonight, I had been picturing it in my head all day. Granted, yes, they wouldn't get me on _American Idol_ or _the Voice_, but honestly, I didn't care.

Then I set up my recorder, and sat on my bed with my guitar, and began to sing the lyrics that I had in mind all day.

_Well I've been where you've been my friend_

_I felt the rain fall sideways_

_Hell on wheels in the fast lane_

_Down the crooked highway_

_And I've been through that perfect storm_

_My heart was wrecked, my soul was torn_

_And I know, I know, I know_

_And I know, I know, I know_

_Sometimes you need more than whiskey_

_Sometimes wisdom just won't do_

_Well I ain't gonna judge you_

_I'm just gonna love you_

_Tonight I'm gonna pray for you_

I turn off my recording device, and upload to YouTube. I also realized that this would be a good song for the assignment, and record that onto a DVD for Ms. Smith, as I hope that it'll be fine for me to do. I'm sure that it would be. I mean, that was what she wanted us to do, isn't? Tomorrow, I would hand it in, and I will also talk to Devan, even if it is just to say hi.

* * *

><p>-Noah-<p>

_You slip your finger through the tear in my t-shirt_

_You stirrin' up dirty in the back of my mind_

_You keep on flirtin' cause you know that it's workin'_

_You stuck in my head girl writing the lines_

_Couldn't sing this song without you if I tried_

_Let's light it up like it's our last night_

_We're just hanging around_

_Burnin' it down_

_Sippin' on some cold Jack Daniel's_

_Jammin' to some old Alabama with you, baby_

_Laying right here naked in my bed_

_I'm just doing my thing_

_You love it when I sing_

_Say it makes you feel like an angel_

_We about to get a little tangled up right about now_

_So girl let's keep burnin' it down_

_Burnin' it down_

_Burnin' it down_

"Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear," I hear someone tell me, and I turn around. Normally, I wouldn't because music was something that helped clear my mind from what's been happening at home.

"No. It's fine," I tell him, though, I had to admit I was wondering who it was. I had never seen him before, but damn, he looked good. His ginger colored hair, and hazel brown eyes. He stood about six feet from what I could gather. The next thing I noticed was his necklace of the Stark wolf. Of all things, I noticed that.

"I'm Brady Smith," he tells me before I could even tell him my name. Brady Smith. I was guessing I would have to remember that later.

"Noah," I tell him happily, as I decide to collect my stuff, and head for my locker. I had a big test today, and I wouldn't want to fail it. I didn't study, but that was aside the point. It was Biology, and honestly, I didn't care about the class anyways. I didn't have anything planned out in the future that required the class of biology.

"Well Noah it was nice meeting you," he tells me, and walks away.

After he leaves, I pick up my messenger bag, and head to my locker where I accidentally run into Brycen. As it sad that I only remember his name because we're in class together? Yeah, I think so as well.

"Sorry Bryce, I didn't mean to," I tell him honestly. Then again, it probably wasn't his fault. He was probably thinking about something else, just as I was. Then I looked to where he was looking, but didn't say anything, and then headed off for class.

* * *

><p>-Miley-<p>

It was lunch time, and I knew Ava would be in the art room I knew what I had to do. I wasn't that hungry anyways, so I headed to the art room. When I arrived I had seen that she was the only one in there, so it wouldn't be that hard.

"Ava," I call out, as I enter the room, and I'm ready to break up with her. I have it all played in my head. "I need to talk to you," I add, as I come in, and stand beside her easel.

"What's so important, that you need to come, and make me?" she begins teasingly, as she begins to kiss me, and make me all weak in the knees?

"Make you what?" I ask, though, I had an idea as to where this was going, and could we even do that in the art room?

"I think you already know what," she states, as she begins to undress showing what she had wanted.

"Is this even legal in the art room?" I ask, and I begin to follow without hesitation, even though I had asked.

"Teachers have sex in the teachers lounge, don't they?" she asks, as she kisses me, and finally forces her tongue inside my mouth, before I could even answer the way that I had wanted. This went on for a little bit longer than I had hoped it would.

"So what was it that we needed to talk about?" she after we finish, and just before the bell wrung announcing that our next classes were about to begin.

"I can't remember now," I lie to her, and she looks me in the eye, telling me that she had just figured it out, or maybe she had all along.

"My place tonight?" she asks innocently, as she collects her stuff, and heads for her next class, Then I knew I should do what I had come here for. This had been going on for fall too long already, and only I could change that.

"I can't. I have other things I have to do," I tell her, though it wasn't a lie. I had classes I had to teach tonight, and then I had homework I had to do.

"Alright then," she tells me, as though none of this had happened. Maybe I should have told her about Katy. Oh well, there was always next time.

_It was an early morning yesterday_

_I was up before the dawn_

_And I really have enjoyed my stay_

_But I must be moving on_

_Like a king without a castle_

_Like a queen without a throne_

_I'm an early morning lover_

_And I must be moving on_

_Now I believe in what you say_

_Is the undisputed truth_

_But I have to have things my own way_

_To keep me in my youth_

_Like a ship without an anchor_

_Like a slave without a chain_

_Just the thought of those sweet ladies_

_Sends a shiver through my veins_

_And I will go on shining_

_Shining like brand new_

_I'll never look behind me_

_My troubles will be few_

_Goodbye stranger it's been nice_

_Hope you find your paradise_

_Tried to see your point of view_

_Hope your dreams will all come true  
><em>

* * *

><p>-Jude's -<p>

I still didn't understand Katy. Maybe, I never would. Someday, I had hoped that we could work around our problems, but I knew that would be a while from now. She takes her seat, and as usual just ignores me. I was used to it.

"Alright ladies, and gentlemen, who hear did the assignment as I had asked?" Ms. Smith asks, as she comes in and shuts the door behind, and everyone looked shocked? Why should they be? This wasn't the first time she had done this, hell Ms. Smith was known for this.

"I see no hands, and honestly, I would have thought by now someone would want to break that trend," she points out though she disappointed by it. Then she walks over to the whiteboard.

"Alright, so here's the deal. I give you to Friday to finish this assignment, if no one turns it in by then, I will step up the homework assignments," she adds, as she picks up a book and places it down on the table off to the side of the whiteboard.

"I have something," we hear Brycen announce finally, and gets up. "I don't want to perform anything though," he adds, as he hands Ms. Smith a DVD, and heads back to his seat. He had backbone, I give him that. Maybe he could show the rest of us how he does it.

"Anyone else?" she asks looking around, and still seems disappointed.

"Well alright then, I have to say that Impulse has a shot at Sectionals," she tells us happily, even though none of us had any idea as to what she had meant. Was it a reading competition? I hoped not, because, if so we were all screwed.

"Ms. Smith what do you mean by that?" I ask curiously, not even bothering to raise my hand. I would have if I had thought about it, but my curious mind got the best of me.

"Well thank you for asking, and I was getting to that," she tells the class with a smile, as she turns to write all of this down on the whiteboard so all of could follow.

"Impulse, which is our group we have here," she began, and looked around the room.

"He's also a character in _Smallville_ who would later become known as Flash. Well the last part is depending which version you go with," Atticus points out.

"Okay, that as well. Anyway getting back on subject, we're going to Sectionals, in a couple of months, and if we make the top few we get to move onto Regionals," she tells us, and also writes that down.

"That would be awesome!" someone points out, as they show their visitor pass, and enters the classroom, and we all wondered who he was since none of us had ever seen him before.

"This is my step brother, Brady, and he'll be helping us with Impulse, as well as other things," Ms. Smith points out as the bell rings telling us that class was dismissed.

* * *

><p>-Atticus-<p>

"Amy what are you doing tonight?" I ask as I catch up with her. We weren't dating, but she seemed to accept that. Even though we held hands the other night, and damn she looked so beautiful as she was in her own little world.

I didn't even get a word out of her before Devan walked up to his locker with his buddies, bragging about how he set Evan Cranmer on fire again. I hated someday how he bragged about anything he thought earned him bragging rights.

"Don't you have a girlfriend you can hang around?" I ask, though, I already knew the answer since he had pictures of her and him in his locker, as well as the picture of he went to New York Comic Con when he met the cast of _the Following_.

"I do actually, and matter of fact, I'm calling her right now to see if she wants to see the new _X-Men_ movie," he tells me, and high fives Keenan Hightower. Jeez he was so full of himself today, and instead of sticking around I turn to Amy, as I see that Amy isn't there anymore, so I knew there was only one place she could be.

"Sorry, I just can't stand him," Amy tells me, as I find her in the music room.

"That's fine. He's not all that bad. It just happens when he's with Keenan," I tell her matter of factually, and then smile at her.

"To answer your question before I walked away, no I'm not doing anything tonight," she tells me, as she picks up her messenger bag, and we walk out of the music room together. "Is there anything you had in mind?" she finally asks.

"I was thinking that we could cram in season one of _Red Band Society_," I tell her happily. "I bought it the other day, and it's still wrapped up waiting to be watched," I tell her again, as I take her hand again.

"You know what? That sounds like an idea. There is someone I would like you to meet in return though," she tells me happily, as she places her hand in mine, and I was happy. I was thinking that we were officially a couple, but neither one of us wanted to say it.

"I'm guessing, it's your daughter, and I happily accept meeting her," I tell her as we walk together to catch the Metro leaving MRHS behind us.

* * *

><p>So we saw more of Daz, and Hero's step brother. The class knows about Impulse and Sectionals.<br>There's also a reason as to why I left out the line of 'Devan, are you gay?' but that line will appear in the next chapter I think - if I Brycen steps up his game.

Song credits: _Pray for You_ - Swon Brothers, the / _Burnin' it Down_ - Jason Aldean / Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp.


	7. Chapter 6

_For those who haven't read Rianna's latest chapter, this chapter does contain a spoiler._

As always, thank you everyone for the reviews, and support. I appreciate all of them. No matter when they come in.

I was planning on writing an all boys school for them to compete with at Nationals, but changed my mind. If anyone would like to write the school please let me know. If not, I'm fine with it, and will use New Directions, since _Back to the Beginning_ isn't in this time frame, that eliminates that story into this one.

Okay, onto the story.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

-Anna-

"Is it true?" I ask as I storm up to Brycen when I see him in the hallway by his locker. I couldn't stand him, but I hoped that it wasn't true.

"What are you talking about?" he asks me sounding confused, and then he looks around the hallway for an escape plan, and then adjusts his messenger bag, and takes out his iPod, and turns it on, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was about to turn it onto.

"You leaving. I heard that you're leaving for Talladega," I tell him what I had heard, as I thought that no one who lived in Manhattan would want to live in Florida.

"Would you shut your mouth? I don't want everyone to know, and yes, if you must know I am moving to Talladega," he tells me, and collects his stuff, and walks away towards his class that would be starting soon.

I just sigh, and pull out my math book, and head for math class, and wonder if Jay would be there, or if he would be attending class today. I hoped he was, because we needed to make plans, and besides I've been meaning to ask him about going to the movies tonight.

"Jay!" I shout out in excitement as I enter the room, and see him sitting there holding my spot so no one else would take my spot.

"Good morning to you as well," he tells me, as I sit down, and pull out my math book, and then class begins telling us that for an hour and a half we were students of this classroom, and there was nothing we could do about it.

"Do you want to catch a movie tonight?" I ask at the end of class, he doesn't answer me, but his smile tells me yes, and then we follow each other to my locker to get my books that I need for my other classes.

-Second Chance-

-Rosalie-

"Devan, are you gay?" I overheard someone ask, as I headed to the art room, and the voice seemed recognizable, but I couldn't figure out why. I turned the opposite direction when I realized who it was. I also realized I hadn't stuck around for the answer. I figured it was this Devan kids' personal business, and I didn't need to know it.

I continue headed to the art room when I heard someone singing, and decided to check it out. They seemed interesting whoever they were.

_And another one bites the dust_

_But why can I not conquer love?_

_And I might've thought that we were one_

_Why not to fight this war without weapons_

_And I wanted it and I wanted it bad_

_But there were so many red flags_

_Now another one bites the dust_

_And let's be clear, I trust no one_

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just couldn't help but overhear," I tell the person, as they turn around I see that it's Noah, the kid in class who no one can figure out. He's like a puzzle, in which no one wants to put together.

"No worries, I was rehearsing for Impulse. I want a solo, or hope to have one anyways," he tells me as our eyes meet for a brief moment, then he turns away.

"So what's your story?" I ask curious, as I decide to sit down beside him, deciding if I should start working on my art piece or not. I had time anyways since it was free period, but I did wonder why Noah had been in here. After all wasn't he supposed to be in another class?

"I don't have a story," he tells me, and then looks out the window towards the football field.

"Everyone has a story. After all, I know you should be in chemistry class right now. Then again, with Devan being in class, I'd probably skip class as well," I tell him honestly.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he tells me, as adds a doodle to the wall that had other students names and doodles on the wall. I thought it was rather cool that he did the "Okay. Okay" clouds from _the Fault in Our Stars_. "Do you think Ms. Weist would let me transfer in this class?" he asks me curiously. As though it was timed, the bell went off, announcing the start of our next class, and I wondered if I should tell him that Ms. Weist wouldn't mind at all, but he was gone before I had a chance to do so.

"Brycen, wait up!" I hear Devan call out, as I turned the corner, and realized that it had to have been Brycen Devan was talking to earlier.

-Second Chance-

-Brycen-

I was still pissed off that Anna had somehow found out I was moving, and yes, I had everything planned out. I had family down there, so I would be able to stay with them for the school year. I wouldn't be able to see Devan, but I was over that. That was until I talked to him earlier.

"Devan, are you gay?" I asked him as we stood inside the photography room. Honestly, I was surprised I had the chance to talk to him, even for a moment. Then we could go back and pretend that the conversation had never happened.

"Why are you asking me this?" he asked curiously, and scanned the room for an escape route.

"I'm just curious that's all. I want to come out to my parents," I tell him. Well it was only half a lie, but I figured he didn't need to know that. Then he turned his attention back to me, and took a deep breath.

"I'm dating a girl from another school, and to be honest, in our day and half break up, I was thinking I'm bisexual. Hell, I even looked up advice pages, and I still don't have the guts to tell her I'm into boys as well," he tells me. I was relieved that part was over. Maybe, this wouldn't be the best time to tell him that I was already out.

"Thank you, that was all I needed to know," I tell him honestly, and then adjust my backpack, and head towards my locker to get my stuff for my next class, and I wanted to head to the library afterwords.

_It was the summer before the real world started and,_

_The deal was we would get to go, if we_

_Cleaned it up, and got it running,_

_Daddy's old Winnebago._

_Wing and a prayer down 65,_

_Five best friends on four bald tires,_

_I can still see Billy smiling_

_When we finally made it._

_To Talladega, boys raised up,_

_Whiskey in your glass, here's to turning up,_

_Slowing down and cars that go real fast_

"Brycen wait up!" I hear Devan call out as he sounded worried, and practically ran a couple of freshman over to catch up with me, as I realized I had to told he didn't have to talk to me after that conversation we had.

"Relax man, what is it?" I ask, as noticed that we had about two minutes left to get to class.

"I need you to get me to Madison General asap!" he tells me out of breath, as he sounds even more worried than he had before he caught up to me. "My girlfriend has just been admitted to the hospital," he adds.

"Well lets don't wait. Lets go," I order as I forgot about the other plans I had before he told me. I didn't want to be in world history today anyways.

-Second Chance-

-Jacobi-

_Elsa? _I asked the mirror, as I had gotten ready for my next class. Thankfully, I was the only boy in the bathroom as I had started the song. I mean, who else would sing a song from _Frozen_ in the bathroom, aside myself.

_Do you wanna build a snowman?_

_Come on, let's go and play!_

_I never see you anymore_

_Come out the door_

_It's like you've gone away_

_We used to be best buddies_

_And now we're not_

_I wish you would tell me why!_

_Do you wanna build a snowman?_

_It doesn't have to be a snowman..._

I finish the first part of the song, and then I head for class. It was the only class that I didn't have with Frankie, which kind of annoyed me, but if that was how the school wanted it, then fine. What could I do? Speaking of Frankie, I hadn't seen her in school today, so that had gotten me even more worried. Living in her condition couldn't be fun, but I was her best friend.

As I turn the corner, I literally smack right into Riley Jacobs. I looked at him quickly, and noticed his brown eyes. I also noticed his Portland, Oregon t-shirt. Maybe it was the first time I had seem them, but they looked different, like he had been sad earlier. I secretly wondered if we could relate. I figured I would ask sometime.

"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention," I tell him honestly, and then carry on to class. Maybe, I should have carried on and talked to him, but I had guessed that it was too late for that now, because, class would be starting soon, and I didn't want anyone to see my fresh bruise my father had left behind this morning.

-Second Chance-

-Mackenzie-

I enter Ms. Smith's room, and head to the back of the room, as class was about to begin. I watched as everyone piled in, and I noticed everyone but Brycen had shown up. I wondered why that was. He was always here.

"You haven't told her about us yet?" we hear Katy cry out as she entered the classroom and saw that Miley had already been in class. I had no idea what they were fighting about but I was sure that we would know soon enough.

"Alright Katy get in and sit down. Any problem you have with Ms. Brooks, you may figure out after class, otherwise, you sit this class out, because I'm not your therapist," Ms. Smith tells her, and watches her to see what she'd do. Katy gave in, and entered the classroom, as she passed Matt, and headed to her reserved seat. "Good now we'll begin with our test, which will be twenty five minutes, and no open book," she adds, as she shuts the classroom door.

As we finish our tests, and hand them in, she tells us that if the reports average good, than next week we'll be able to have free reading as long as it fits, and we can sing about it.

"Ms. Smith, I know it's not class related, but would it be possible I could try for the solo at Sectionals?" Noah asks, as he raises his hand. I think everyone was shocked. I don't even recall hearing him speak in class at all, and I wondered why that was. It also seemed he didn't really hang out with anyone.

"I think we can do something about that," Ms. Smith answers as she turns around, and writes his name on the whiteboard. "Do you have a song that you'd like to sing?" Ms. Smith asks, as she takes a seat in the corner of the room.

"Not really, I do know a song though," he tells her. It was the first time I had noticed his British accent, in which, I rather liked. I couldn't help it I guess. I look down at my notebook, and begin to doodle again.

_When the days are cold_

_And the cards all fold_

_And the saints we see_

_Are all made of gold_

_When your dreams all fail_

_And the ones we hail_

_Are the worst of all_

_And the blood's run stale_

_I wanna hide the truth_

_I wanna shelter you_

_But with the beast inside_

_There's nowhere we can hide_

_No matter what we breed_

_We still are made of greed_

_This is my kingdom come_

_This is my kingdom come_

_When you feel my heat_

_Look into my eyes_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_Don't get too close_

_It's dark inside_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

"Noah, that was good enough for Sectionals, and I believe we've just found our soloist," Ms. Smith proclaims with excitement. "So tomorrow we'll see results of the tests," she adds just before the bell rings, and we head to our lockers again.

-Second Chances-

-Noah-

"Well, well if it isn't Harry Potter," I hear one of the senior students call out, as I head to my locker, and everything before suddenly faded into the background. Sometimes I see why Matt had committed suicide, and other times, I blamed him for not sticking around so we could get through this together.

"What do you want?" I asked trying to fend them off. I could do it. I knew I could, but frankly when you attend a school that doesn't give a crap, why try? Especially when it's one of the popular kids. It would be pointless.

"You know what we want," the popular kid tells me, as he pushes me against the lockers, so I would be locked in. To be honest, I really had no idea what they wanted, and I doubted it was to join Impulse, since technically that was our class. Then back to reality before I could answer, the first blow came.

"Erich, leave the kid alone," I hear someone announce. I was still stunned, and couldn't make out who it was, but the voice sounded familiar,

"We weren't doing anything, Brady," Erich tells Brady innocently, and now it had dawned on me how I had recognized the voice. I was hoping to see him again, but not this way. The fight was to cliché, or so it had seemed.

"Go on, get out of here, or I'll report you," Brady tells Erich, and I was surprised he backed off that quick. Maybe, Erich had some beef with Brady. I didn't know, and I didn't want to know. Well I did, but not right now.

"You alright?" Brady asks me, but I didn't want to hang around in case Erich came back. Someday I would get him back, and he wouldn't be expecting it.

"I'm fine," I tell Brady, and pick my backpack up, and look to see if my Metro pass was on it. I didn't want to have to spend my money that I had on a pass until this one was all used up, but I couldn't find it anywhere, which wasn't good.

"You don't sound fine," he tells me. Well he was right, but I wasn't about to tell him that. He didn't need to know. He also didn't need to know about my crush on him. "Need a lift home or something?" he asks, as he wasn't giving up his challenge.

"Something like that," I tell him honestly, though, I didn't want to be his charity case.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home. It's cold out there, and the cabs are a bitch to wait for," he tells me. Normally, I wouldn't take the offer, but I figured that I may as well. It was better than having to wait in line anyways.

"Thanks for the ride," I tell him as we pull up to the apartments. Then I did the unexpected. Without stopping myself, I kissed him, and ran out of the car before anything could be said. I don't even know why I had kissed him, since I barely knew him. I would take it out on myself later when I went to the bathroom.

* * *

><p>So Brycen is moving, and has finally talked to Devan. Noah is the soloist at Sectionals, and Noah kissed Brady.<p>

Song credits:_ Elastic Heart_ - Sia / _Talladega_ - Eric Church / _Do You Want to Build a Snowman_? -Kristen Bell / _Demons -_ Imagine Dragons.

* * *

><p>In other unrelated <em>Glee <em>news, if anyone is watching _American Idol_ this season, there has been three people from Maine (which is the state I live in) that are going to Hollywood. I've met one of them personally, and I really hope Ben Wilson gets past Hollywood. Good luck Ben!


	8. Chapter 7

Okay, so I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter, but it's something, and I'm breaking 'the Doors' into two chapters. I haven't gotten everyone's POV in more than once, yet, but they are coming. I promise.

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

-Atticus-

Mom was at work again, and I knew that she would be gone for the rest of the night. I medical staff in Manhattan never sleep, sometimes, I wondered why she chose the job, especially since I would be attending college soon which ever state I chose. I enter my end of the apartment, and pick up my copy of _to Kill a Mockingbird_but I couldn't focus on reading it.

Instead, I had thought of something else. I comparison essay on banned books. The more I thought about, the more I could compare them to the Doors. Well any banned books really, because Morrison was a poet, a rock god, the Lizard King, among many things, and controversy seemed to follow him, especially the famous Ed Sullivan incident. So yes, banned books could be compared to Morrison in my eyes.

I pulled the word document up, but sat there staring at an empty page. All of the words were in my head for the essay, but instead, I find myself looking the college websites, and the only one that seemed interesting to me was the college in Boston, and I just stared at the online application.

_The human race was dyin' out_

_No one left to scream and shout_

_People walking on the moon_

_Smog will get you pretty soon_

_Everyone was hanging out_

_Hanging up and hanging down_

_Hanging in and holding fast_

_Hope our little world will last_

_Yeah, along came Mr. Goodtrips_

_Looking for a new a ship_

_Come on, people better climb on board_

_Come on, baby, now we're going home_

_Ship of fools, ship of fools _

I want to assume it was around one thirty when I heard mom enter the apartment. I knew it wouldn't be long until she left to go to work again, so I head out to where she is, and turn on CNN. I take a deep breath, and sit down beside her.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" she asks me, showing her concern.

"Couldn't sleep," I lie to her. "Want to talk about it?" I ask her finally changing the subject, as I could see that she was fighting sleep for the few hours that she had.

"Three people died, a teenager had to get her appendix taken out, and two teenagers had babies today," she told me summing up her day. That was all I was going to get out of her, though, I did wonder if I knew anyone that she was talking about. I doubted it.

"I sent in my online application to Boston yesterday," I lie to her, as I change it onto my day. I didn't bother telling her about Amy. I didn't want her to know yet.

"I hope you the best," she tells me, and that was the last thing she had told me before she had finally decide to give into sleep. I went back and finally got to my homework that was due.

-Second Chance-

-Miley-

"Katy wait up," I call out to her, as I catch up to her in the hallway just before class. It appeared that she was still ignoring me since she had found out about mine and Ava's make out session.

"Okay, I understand, that you're still pissed off about yesterday, and I want to make it up to you," I plead with her, as a couple of students walk by, and give us their judging eyes, but I didn't care.

"You should have thought about that before you hooked up with Ava," she told me, and stormed away to her class. Instead of heading to class, as I should have done, I instead headed towards the library. I didn't normally read, but this time, something in me had wanted to, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out.

"Mrs. Allbury, you don't by any chance have anything about the Doors, do you?" I hear the familiar voice of Matías Rodriguez, or Matt, as we called him in class.

"What on earth for? No one listens to the Doors anymore?" Mrs. Allbury inquired, as though she seemed offended that someone would ask about a band from back when she was younger. I wouldn't blame her. I mean, I hadn't even heard of them, but I found myself walking over to where Matt was.

"So what's this about the Doors?" I question him sarcastically, as I meet his eyes for a brief moment, and then scan the library to see what was going on.

"Well, Atticus came up with the idea that we compare notes about Jim Morrison, who was the lead singer of the band, and see if we can get an assignment about him," Matías told me. I still wasn't following, but I just smile and nod, as though it was common.

"Oh here you go dear," Mrs. Allbury tells Matías, as she checks the book out, and then hands him the book. It did seem weird that this would be okay with Mrs. Smith, but then again, Atticus had seemed weird himself most of the time.

"Thank you," Matías tells Mrs. Allbury, as he gently takes the book from her, and places it in his backpack, and heads to leave the library. I then head into the empty study room so I can get some work done. Only then did I find myself looking up information about the Doors. Was it true that we could compare books that we've read to someone from a band that I had never heard of. I doubted it. Then changed my mind about looking them up.

Then a text message had come up on my cell phone from Katy. I just smiled, and then answered it, and met up with her at the tennis court, as she had told to do, since it was a few minutes before lunch, and the bell would ring shortly anyways.

When I get there, I see she had somehow managed to steal a salad from the salad bar, and a grilled cheese sandwich, which had now been cut in half, and she was sitting on the tennis court on a Varsity Jacket she had managed to get a hold of, and motioned for me to sit down beside her, so I had.

"First, I would like to say that I'm sorry for being an ass to you," she tells me happily. I think to myself how I should be the one apologizing, since I made out with the girl I was supposed to break up with.

"I know, and I was the ass first. I made out with my ex girlfriend," I tell her, and take some of the salad. "You wouldn't happen to want to go see a movie tonight?" I ask her hoping that she would say yes.

"We can do that," she tells me, and leans, and gives me a kiss, and then she gets up, and stands in front of me, and I seem confused for a moment, until she opens up her mouth, and begins to sing something.

_Hello, I love you  
>Won't you tell me your name?<br>Hello, I love you  
>Let me jump in your game<br>Hello, I love you  
>Won't you tell me your name?<br>Hello, I love you  
>Won't you tell me your name?<br>Hello, I love you  
>Let me jump in your game<br>Hello, I love you  
>Won't you tell me your name?<br>Hello, I love you  
>Let me jump in your game<em>

_She's walking down the street  
>Blind to every eye she meets<br>Do you think you'll be the guy  
>To make the queen of the angels sigh?<em>

_Hello, I love you_  
><em>Won't you tell me your name?<br>I love you  
>Want you<em>

Then we finish our tennis court date, and head to Ms. Smiths class together, but first we had to stop at our lockers and get our stuff.

-Second Chance-

-Hero-

"Alright glad to see everyone here today," I announce, as I look over my students. I had heard about Livvy Thompson, and I heard about Brycen, and I wasn't about to break that to my students, especially while he was in the class. If he wanted to tell them, that was his business. What I was really happy about, was what else he had told me in confidence, and then I head to the front of the class, and begin.

"I looked through your tests last night, and I am happy to say that you ladies, and gentlemen, are really starting to improve your work, and I'm excited, and the school system first told me when I started here that you guys were a zoo," I announce trying not to cry, and then as expected, Brady had showed up, and I watched as Noah looked away briefly. I thanked my step brother, and then went on about class.

"Does this mean, we get to choose what we want to read?" asked Jude. He was curious, and I liked that.

"Not exactly, though, we did have someone ask for an assignment," I announce, as I walk over to the whiteboard and write **THE DOORS** on it. I looked around, and saw that a few people students seemed confused about that had meant.

"What does that mean? Every books have doors," Frankie wondered after she raised her hand. I had to admit, she did have an important question. Then I figured I would explain.

"Well lets say you read _Allegiant _and the first thing that pops in your mind is _The End_," I begin, though, being as they weren't familiar with the song, I doubted that they would understand how it would work into the story. For those who had heard of it, they would see how it had fit into this example. "It could also work for _Battle Royale,_ or _the Hunger Games_," I use as another example.

"How would that work. Most of us have never heard of the Doors, until a minute ago?" Riley pointed out.

"Well, I honestly, think that they have a song that fits into almost every book you've read. Thing of the banned books that are out there. Morrison, was controversial himself, and if you Google it, you will see a bunch of things. His arrests, his drug problems, his woman, and his banned songs, but above all that, he was a poet, a play write, and a UCLA dropout, and he still had it all until he was twenty seven, when he died of an apparent drug overdose in Paris, France," I told them. "Now can that add up to some books that you've heard of?" I ask, as I look at the clock, and see that class is almost over.

"How much time do we have on this assignment?" Rosalie Whittaker asks from the middle of the room. She had a good question, I hadn't even thought of that.

"A week from Friday," I announce, "Also, that will be due one week before sectionals, and speaking of that, I have chosen Miley, and Noah for the duet, after that we will need a group number," I announce, as the bell rings.

"Are we doing any rehearsals before than?" Noah asks, as he collects his books, and places them in his messenger bag, and waits for me to answer the question. I guess, I should have thought about that.

"Yes, we are," I tell him honestly, as I had thought about my time at McKinley, and remember what it had paid up for. "Tomorrow in the music room after school," I add, and then he turns and heads out the door.

-Second Chance-

-Noah-

I had heard of the Doors before, I just didn't want to admit it. Why should I? I only remember hearing about the band, because of the times I had spent at my aunts house when I was younger, I shrug it off, and head to the music room, since I figured I wouldn't have to be home for a while, and I still needed to get my stuff from Brady's car.

_People are strange when you're a stranger  
>Faces look ugly when you're alone<br>Women seem wicked when you're unwanted  
>Streets are uneven when you're down<em>

_When you're strange_  
><em>Faces come out of the rain<em>  
><em>When you're strange<em>  
><em>No one remembers your name<em>  
><em>When you're strange<em>  
><em>When you're strange<em>  
><em>When you're strange<em>

"I can see why Hero chose you to be the soloist," Brady tells me, as he enters the music room, or at least spoke up. Other than that, I wouldn't have known he was there.

"I'm not that great," I argue.

"She wouldn't have picked you otherwise," he tells me, and then smiles. He was cute when he smiled. "I should know. She's my step-sister, and I'm living on her couch illegally," he jokes, as he tries to cheer me up, honestly, him being there was enough.

"Living illegally, sounds fun," I tell him, as I pick up my backpack, and get ready to head back to the apartment.

"Nah, it's actually kind of boring, though, I have come to conclusion that Chris Pratt lives down the hall from us," Brady jokes again, only this time he followed it with a kiss, but I find myself pulling myself away from him.

"Is there something wrong?" he asks sounding confused, and looking in my eyes, and then I meet his eyes.

"No. It's just that, yesterday, I didn't mean to kiss you, it just happened," I told him honestly. It was the truth after all.

"I understand," he tells me. "Can I at least take you home? New York gets rather awkward after dark, and I would hate to hear that you ended up in the hospital. That would mean that even though, I don't attend this school, Hero would recruit me as vocalist," he tells me as we walk out together. He did have a point.

"We have rehearsals for Sectionals tomorrow after class in the music room," I tell him, as I grab my stuff I had left there last night. We both knew why I had told him, but neither one of us wanted to say it, I shut the car door, and head up the apartment.

* * *

><p>Song credits: <em>Ship of Fools  Hello, I Love You / People are Strange - _the Doors

Coming up...a break up, a proposal, and possibly another ship.


	9. Chapter 8

Originally, I was going to post my newest SYOC 'Please Don't Stop the Music' first, being as I like to stay on top of this story, this chapter came first.

Okay, onto the chapter.

-Second Chance-

Chapter 8

-Brycen-

_She lives on love street  
>Lingers long on love street<br>She has a house and garden  
>I would like to see what happens<em>

_She has robes and she has monkeys  
>Lazy diamond studded flunkies<br>She has wisdom and knows what to do  
>She has me and she has you<em>

_She has wisdom and knows what to do  
>She has me and she has you<em>

"Whoa, Jim Morrison love triangle much?" I hear someone ask. I wasn't sure as to who it was, but I knew who it wasn't. Yeah, sure, deep down I was still into Devan, but I knew that he chose his girlfriend, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out even if he was bisexual, nothing was going to tear those two apart.

"It's for an assignment, and for the record, it was about where Jim Morrison lived with his girlfriend but they called it "_Love Street_" because they could sit on the balcony and watch the hippies go by," I told the boy happily. That was when I fully got to see him. He stood about five foot eight from what I guessed, and he had hazel eyes with curly tanned hair. Maybe, it wasn't tanned, but it was the only thing I think of.

"Yeah, I bet it is," he tells me, as he puts his backpack down, and heads up to the AV room, which was located in back of the theater. "I'm Gavin, in case you wondering, in which, I doubt you were," he tells me pointedly.

"I know who you are. I was in your class last year," I point out. "You probably don't remember though," I add. "I'm Brycen". Then as as on Que the bell rings, but for some reason I don't want to leave. I would rather stay here and learn more about this Gavin.

-Second Chance-

-Amy-

Atticus was supposed to meet me at lunch time, as he promised, but so far he hadn't showed up. I sent him another text. Then a few minutes later he showed up, but for some reason, he had looked depressed.

"Sorry I'm late, I was in the library," he told me as he sat down beside me, and laid his head on my shoulder, and I give him a kiss on the forehead.

"You want to talk about it?" I ask as I guess in my head that he didn't. He was so bottled up sometimes. Then again, aren't we all? He shook his head no.

"I don't think we can do this anymore," he tells me sadly and remains quiet for a few moments, as a few theater nerds walk by. None of us knew what to say, and we probably wouldn't for a long time. I just wanted to fix him, but I doubted I would.

"You can't just up and leave me like that," I state as I start to cry, and try to hold my emotions back. We were just starting something, and it was going great, and now this. Then out of the blue, as I had on the first day, I punched him.

"It's not you, I swear. I just need time to think," he tells me, in which, I doubted was the truth. We were back to square one.

"What do you need to think about?" I ask him furiously, as our eyes met for a brief moment, and I did want to know. I needed to why he wanted to break up.

"You don't understand Amy. It's complicated, and if you really want the truth, I'll admit it. I'm," he states as though he was pissed off about something, and at this point I really didn't care. Lunch was just about over, and I had to get to my locker so I could be ready for class.

"You're what?" I ask frustrated, as I get up from where I was sitting, and headed to throw my left over lunch away.

"I have feelings for someone who doesn't know, and never will, and to be honest, he's the one in this school that understands what I'm going through. I'm homosexual. Is there anything else you want to know?" he practically yells at me. I almost wanted to tell him I was sorry, and wanted to hug him again, and I found myself doing so.

"No," he tells me as we're hugging, and I was glad something came out of this. "I know a song that we could sing together," he tells me as we fade away from the hug as the bell announced the beginning of class.

"Sure, that sounds great," I tell him, and head for my locker. I just hoped that he was really okay, and I wonder if him being gay was really the truth, he was my best friend, and somehow I needed to find out. Even if he was, I was going to be there for him.

"Then come with me to the auditorium," he tells me, as doesn't even bother getting ready for class, which showed he was going to ditch class again. He had a habit of that, and now it was clear how his grades weren't that good. "I can deal with another F. It's not as though I'm attending Emerson anytime soon," he tells me. Then bell went off again.

"Yeah, I get it, but I have class to get to," I tell him, and leave him standing in the hallway, as I head to class, and he stays where he was in the hallway. I had no idea what to think, but I knew I had to focus on class. At least for now. When I got in the classroom, and took my seat I sent him a text wondering what the song was and waited for him to send me a text back, but I got nothing.

-Second Chance-

-Frankie-

I had theater class for the first time today. Okay, it really wasn't, but it may as well had been. I didn't really talk with anyone, and the class seemed rather boring anyways. The girls who had the rich clothes talked among themselves, and seemed rather happy about it.

Finally a couple more students walked in, and I immediately recognized one of them immediately. It was Jude, and for some reason, I was really happy to see him, even tough, he had no idea what was going on with me, and I doubted he would.

"You got suckered into theater class as well?" he asks me, as he comes and sits down beside me, and I smile for a moment.

"Yeah, and it sucks so far. I know no one here, except for you," I point out, as the theater instructor comes in. Or I assume he's the instructor anyways. He comes walking in sporting a Fleetwood Mac t-shirt, and ripped up jeans, and I wondered if that was even dress code. Then I turned my attention back to Jude.

"Is that even allowed as dress code?" I ask Jude wonderingly, and then I check my phone, and see that Jacobi sent me a text message, so I decide to check it out and reply. I didn't get a chance to read it before I heard the announcement that there was no cell phones in class, and that included checking cell phones unless it was a family emergency.

"Mr. Elmsberry, is that one of the costumes for _High School Musical_ or something, because if so, that's bad-ass!" one of the students in back of the room inquires, and then laughs among her friends. Then Mr. Elmsberry walks on stage, and then sits down with his legs hanging over the edge.

"Not quite, but yes, it is rather _costumey_ for the play that our very own Gavin Hawthorne put together," Mr. Elmsberry announced happily. "No it's not _Wicked _or _Les Mis_, but I'm sure we can get past that. Matter of fact, _Wicked_ like _Les Mis_ were books before they were plays," Mr. Elmsberry proudly announced. Then he passed the stage onto Gavin, but I wasn't paying attention. I was thinking on how I had see Matt, and Jacobi after this class.

"Do you want to try out for the lead roles?" Jude asks me after Gavin is done talking about the show, and we stand up from where we were sitting. It seemed like a good idea.

"Why don't we? You'll never know," I tell him happily, as I grab my backpack, and place it on my shoulder, as it was about to be then end of class, and I'd be able to see Jacobi and Matt very shortly. Together we walk up on stage, and place our names down beside the two main roles. On the bottom of the sheet we noticed that call backs would be announced on Monday.

"I'll see in Ms. Smith's class," Jude tells me, as we depart in the hallway, and heads for his locker. I head to where I knew Matt and Jacobi would be, but when I got there Jacobi was no where to be found, which made me worried.

"Where's Jacobi?" I ask Matt as I meet up with him by his locker, and he pulls out his world history book, and then shuts his locker, and looks at me. He smiles as another boy walks by, and then he turns his attention back to me.

"I have no clue where Jacobi is," he tells me, and places his messenger bag on shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine though," he adds. If he only knew what I knew about Jacobi, and sometimes I wish he did, but I made a promise that I wouldn't break.

"He probably is," I state sadly, as we walk towards my locker so I could get my stuff and head for my next class, in which, I had no intention of wanting to be in all of a sudden.

-Second Chance-

-Jacobi-

_Tell all the people that you see_

_Follow me_

_Follow me down_

_Tell all the people that you see_

_Set them free_

_Follow me down _

"We've really got to stop meeting like this. People will start to become curious," I hear Riley speak as he enters the bathroom, as I was about to come out from investigating the newest bruise dad had left.

"Sorry, I just need alone time in the bathroom now and then," I tell him honestly, as hope that he didn't think it was for something else instead. Yes, I was aware of some things that did go on a high school bathroom.

"I see you checking out your bruises. Don't worry I won't tell anyone," he tells me, as he meets my eyes. I wanted to trust him, but he wasn't Frankie, in who I knew I could trust. Riley, I wasn't so sure about.

"I'm used to it, besides, if I wanted help, I would call Child Services," I tell him, even though I knew I wouldn't. Once you turned teenager, it seemed as though they didn't care if you were alive or not. New York and Government for you.

"I was just offering my help, but if you don't want it, then fine," he tells me, and picks up his backpack, and leaves the bathroom. Maybe he was right, maybe he was just trying to help. Why would I need to rely on Frankie all the time? I take my camera out of my messenger bag, and decide to leave school. Today, I was going to explore Manhattan until it was time for rehearsals, in which I still had plenty of time for, and honestly no one knew I would be gone. I pick up my other belongings, and head towards the direction of Central Park where I would shoot pictures.

As I had calculated it was time for me to head back, and get ready for rehearsals, and I spot someone wearing a school uniform from another headed in the direction as I was. I should have opened my mouth, but I kept it shut. Why did she seem so familiar? Only when I entered the school, and located her again, I realized who it was, and I doubted that she would remember me. I just shrug it off, and head towards my locker.

"Where have you been?" Frankie yells at me with worry, and honestly, I wouldn't blame her. It was rather stupid with what I did, but I had to let go. Do something different, and that was what I did.

"I was in the bathroom, and well kind of fell asleep," I lied. I wasn't about to tell her I had skipped class, or my incident with Riley. I didn't need them to know that. That was my business. Though, my bruise still stung from earlier, and my scratch from the bush at the park was still aching as well.

"Come on we need to get rehearsals or Ms. Smith is going to murder us," Matt announces breaking our tension that was so obvious you could cut with a knife, but neither of us wanted to show its visibility.

-Second Chance-

-Hero-

"Today is the last day of the Doors, and I'm sure all of you are happy about that," I tell the class, as the bell announced the beginning of class. "Don't look so sad," I add jokingly afterwords. I also noticed how the class seemed to have changed where they were sitting today.

"What is our next project? I hope it isn't as lame as this project was," Anna announces as though she had something on her mind, and she didn't want the rest of the class to know. I brainstorm, and mention that I'll let them know.

"Have we thought of a set list yet?" Jude asks wonderingly, as he looks around the classroom.

"Sort of. I need to still work out the duet, and the group number," Noah answers, as though this question had been dying to come up somewhere, and I had hoped he would come up with one soon since Sectionals were next week.

"I have an idea for a group number, if anyone wants to hear it," Atticus spoke up, as he stood up. "It's not that great though, and the band were sort of one hit wonders," he finished, as it appeared he had everyone's attention.

"It's not the Doors is it?" asked Anna, as though she were offended by him being in front of the class. What was it with her today, anyways? I would talk with her at the end of class if I could. Then I turn my attention back to Atticus.

"Nope, the Doors weren't really one hit wonders, but is anyone familiar with an old TV show called _Veronica Mars_?" Atticus asks again, and sort of guessed the answer. "That's what I thought. Anyways, it featured Kristen Bell, who is now famous for being Anna in Disney's _Frozen_," he pointed out. "Alright, so the theme song goes like this," he mentioned as he began to sing the theme.

_A long time ago, we used to be friends_

_But I haven't thought of you lately at all_

_If ever again, a greeting I send to you,_

_Short and sweet to the soul is all I intend_

_a, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh_

_a, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh_

_a, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh_

_a, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh_

_Come on now, honey,_

_bring it on, bring it on, yeah_

_Just remember me when you're good to go_

_Come on now, sugar,_

_bring it on, bring it on, yeah._

_just remember me when_

_It's something I said, or someone I know._

_Or you called me up, maybe I wasn't home._

_Now everybody needs some time,_

_and everybody know_

_The rest of it's fine_

_And everybody knows that_

"Attics Baker, that just may have made the cut. I'll have to get back to you on that," I tell him, noting as I would have to get the set list made up as soon as possible so we could rehearse. "Though, we do have to do our group song," I add.

"I thought we didn't have to do group songs in this class," stated Mackenzie, sounding confused.

"Not normally, but we'll have to get in the habit of doing one, since we're going to need to do one for Sectionals," I point out.

"I have a song," Atticus points out. "The words are easy, and everyone knows it," he tells me, and I question how true that it is, but I wouldn't question him. After all he did just song a we could use at Sectionals.

_Riders on the storm_

_Riders on the storm_

_Into this house we're born_

_Into this world we're thrown_

_Like a dog without a bone_

_An actor out on loan_

_Riders on the storm_

_There's a killer on the road_

_His brain is squirmin' like a toad_

_Take a long holiday_

_Let your children play_

_If you give this man a ride_

_Sweet memory will die_

_Killer on the road, yeah_

_Girl, you gotta love your man_

_Girl, you gotta love your man_

_Take him by the hand_

_Make him understand_

_The world on you depends_

_Our life will never end_

_Gotta love your man, yeah_

_Riders on the storm_

_Riders on the storm_

_Into this house we're born_

_Into this world we're thrown_

_Like a dog without a bone_

_An actor out on loan._

_Riders on the storm_

"Can Atticus not the freaking golden star of the classroom for one day?" I heard Miley question after we were done. There was one thing I figured out, there was no pleasing Miley. She reminded me of Violet a little bit. Just a tiny bit. Then I thought about how much I missed her, and I couldn't wait to see her at Sectionals.

"Miley, Atticus is showing us what he has to offer," I shoot back. "The least you could do was show what you have, so I will see you at my apartment with Noah tonight for duet rehearsals," I tell her, and she didn't seem happy about it.

"I can't. I have things to do, besides, isn't that illegal?" she shoots back. Legally it was, but in this case, I didn't think it would count, being as this was going to be in the lobby area of the apartment, but I wasn't going to tell her that.

"Six o'clock," I add as the bell rings, and everyone heads out of the classroom showing how glad they were since it was now the end of the school day, and they could do whatever it was that they needed. I leave as well, and I see the flier for the school play, and suddenly an idea popped in my head, and I headed to the theater department.

-Second Chance-

-Noah-

"I didn't see you," I tell Brady as I get into his car, and throw my back pack in the back seat, as he turns on the radio, and a song I recognized was playing on the radio.

_Oh oh, I'm in too deep_

_Brick by brick_

_The walls are building all around my feet_

_Consequences fencing in the truth_

_They beg and plead_

_Hush,_

_What is done is done_

_Don't say a word_

_Keep the secret from your tongue_

"How long do you plan to keep this a secret?" I ask him, as he kisses me, and I wish he would go further. He was my escape, and I wish to myself that he knew I was asking that question for me. He didn't know about Matthew, and he didn't know about my dad. He knew nothing about me, yet, here I was falling deeper in love with him.

"When you're ready to tell people, than I am as well," he tells me happily, as he looks me in the eyes, and then gives me another kiss.

"That might not be for a while," I tell him honestly. I expected him to yell at me, but he didn't, and I was glad. I got enough of that from my dad.

"Promise me something, you'll attend Sectionals next week. I at least want your sister to know, even though, she's my teacher," I tell him, as he stops his car outside the apartment, and I knew I still had time to get in the house before he got home.

"I promise," he tells me, and I smile, as I get my stuff from his seat, and then head up to the apartment. Then I had an idea, it would probably be the last thing I remember, but to hell with it, I would do it anyways.

"Do you want to go see the _Demon King_ movie with me?" I ask him, as I get back in the car.

"I've never heard of it," he tells me, and he smiles.

"Good, because, I want this to be our first date," I tell him confidently. "Besides, I have to be at your sisters apartment tonight to start duet rehearsals," I add as though it had been part of my plan, in which it really wasn't. It was Friday night, and tonight I was going to break free.

* * *

><p>So some more neglected characters are making a comeback. More will be in the next chapter. <p>

Mr. Elmberry is portrayed by Lucas Grabeel, and will be a re-occurring character. Reviews would rad.

Song credits: _Love Street_ / _Tell all the People_ /_ Riders on the Storm_ - the Doors. _We Used to be Friends -_ the Dandy Warhols. _In too Deep _- the Sweeplings.


	10. Chapter 10

This is a time jump chapter for Sectionals, since it was originally planned for chapter 12. Oh well, at least it's here. It's short, but it's something. (I have got to stop saying that.) Also, I do have something set for Jude at Regionals, so that spot has already been taken.

-Second Chance-

Chapter 9

-Anna-

"Alright ladies, and gentleman, it's the big day. We're up against Carlton Memorial, and Jackson for the top three spots, and I know we can do this," Ms. Smith tells us, as she calls us into the auditorium. We were all nervous. I mean, why wouldn't we be? If we came in second, there was no other chance for us.

"Isn't this Brycen's last week with us?" I asked confused. He was supposed to have moved to Florida already. Not that I cared any, because, him and I didn't get a long. In all honesty, I was really happy that I didn't get the duet with him.

"Five minutes to curtain," we hear someone from the AV tell us. I wasn't sure as to who he was, but he sounded familiar. I would find out later as to who he was. Then my mind goes to Jay being out in the audience, as he had promised he would be. I knew I wouldn't be able to find him with the lights being all down, but it would be my key to success.

"Any advice?" I hear Atticus ask Ms. Smith, as a couple of the other schools starting piling in, and it was obvious, we were all nervous still.

"Yeah, I have some. One. You're just covering songs. Two. The judges will be judging you no matter what. If you miss the line, this isn't _American Idol_ try to recover quickly without making it obvious. The words don't really matter, as long as you show the judges what you have. Three. Ignore the judges, they don't exist, and it's another rehearsal. Four. Go out there and kick some ass," Someone he hadn't recognized the voice of, but somehow Ms. Smith seemed to recognize him. He had spiky dyed hair, and stood about six feet tall. He also had blue green eyes. His WMHS hoodie stood out, and the run down jeans didn't seem to match him justice.

"Everyone this is Cory McGuire, an old high school friend of mine," she introduces us, though, it seemed no one seemed to know what to think.

-Second Chance-

-Mackenzie -

"Ladies, and Gentleman, good afternoon and welcome to Manhattan Regional High School for the Seabrooke Sectionals," the announcer announces on the loudspeaker, and we all watch in the backroom on TV's that the AV team set up for everyone backstage. On stage right now was Carlton Memorial _Beat-boxers_. I had no idea what they sounded like, but they must have been good to be competing against us. I wasn't even sure I wanted to be here now, and oddly enough, I wanted to go hang out with that Cory guy that Ms. Smith introduced, though, I was sure that he was older than I was. So I turned my attention back to the little screen.

_Just one more time before I go_

_I'll let you know_

_That all this time I've been afraid_

_Wouldn't let it show_

_Nobody can save me now, no_

_Nobody can save me now_

_Stars are only visible in darkness_

_Fear is ever-changing and evolving_

_And I, I can poison the skies_

_And I, I feel so alive_

_Nobody can save you now_

_King is crown, it's do or die_

_Nobody can save you now_

_The only sound_

_It's the battle cry_

_It's the battle cry_

_It's the battle cry_

_Nobody can save you now_

_It's do or die_

"They're good, aren't they?" Atticus comes out of nowhere, and asks me. Though, he seemed to scare the crap out of me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he tells me in what seemed like an honest voice. I liked him, as it appeared everyone did, but I knew he was with Amy. Everyone knew that. I look around the sound room again, and take note that we were up after the Beat-boxers. Soon it had turned into the group number, which was another recognizable song. We were doomed.

"We still stand a chance, you know," Atticus points out happily.

"Are you listening to this group? We're doomed. Finished. End of story," I protest to him. I wasn't sure, but it seemed that way.

"Another group thought that a couple of years ago when they did their Sectionals. They went out in uniform, except one girl, she wore pants, and an _X-Men _t-shirt, and they thought that they wouldn't move on, because someone else had told they wouldn't," Atticus tells me happily. I had no clue who he was talking about, but she sounded awesome.

"Did they win?" I ask curiously, as Hero steps into the sound room to let us know that we would be up any second. How could Atticus remain so calm?

"That's for you to figure out," he tells me, and leaves the sound room, and I soon follow, because shortly, we would be in that same position, except none of us had any _X-Men _t-shirts. We had something else. I just didn't know what yet.

-Second Chance-

-Noah-

"Hold up. Last minute wardrobe change," I hear someone announce. "Thirty seconds. No more," I hear one of the AV directors announce. No other team had been told this, so I had wondered what had been going on. I didn't hesitate though when they handed us black t-shirts. I unfolded it, and it stated _Fear isn't Real_. I remembered hearing about this, and wondered how this was still going on. Quickly our thirty seconds are up, and we have to head to the stage. I was sure we were breaking dress code right now, but they didn't kick us off stage for it, so I don't know.

"Ladies, and gentleman, from this very own school, _Impulse_," the announcer announces. Sure, that didn't add any pressure to Sectionals at all. Honestly, I just wanted this over with. I take a deep breath, and begin to sing the song I had planned out from two weeks ago.

_Put your make up on_

_Get your nails done_

_Curl your hair_

_Run the extra mile_

_Keep it slim_

_So they like you. Do they like you?_

_Get your sexy on_

_Don't be shy, girl_

_Take it off_

_This is what you want, to belong_

_So they like you. Do you like you?_

_You don't have to try so hard_

_You don't have to give it all away_

_You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up_

_You don't have to change a single thing_

_You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i_

_You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i_

_You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i_

_You don't have to try_

_Yoooou don't have to try_

_Ooooo, oooooo, oooooo... _

Then the audience had applauded for it. We even heard cheering, and I was sure that Brady was one of them. Luckily enough for me, he hadn't known about the "treatment" I had received this morning. If I had my way, he wasn't going to.

"You ready for this duet?" I whisper to Miley. I knew she wasn't, but what was I going to about it? I look over at her, and she's looking like she had wanted to kill me.

"What the hell do you think? Lets get this done with," she tells me. I knew she had wanted the solo, but I had nothing to do with the choice. I knew she would probably make a fuss about it for Regionals if we advanced.

-Second Chance-

-Miley-

I still hated Noah for having the solo. Oh well. We had one last song and then we were done, and it would be the other teams game. Who knew? Maybe they would win, and besides, I had a hot date with Katy after this.

Then Noah started the first verse of the song, and I sang in my head where I had to come in.

_You got a fast car_

_I want a ticket to anywhere_

_Maybe we can make a deal_

_Maybe together we can get somewhere_

_Anyplace is better_

_Starting from zero, got nothing to lose_

_Maybe we'll make something_

_And me, myself, I got nothing to prove _

Now it was my turn, and I had nothing to lose. Well, I did, but that was aside the point. If Katy wasn't here now, I would totally screw it up just because and for Noah.

_You got a fast car_

_I got a plan to get us out of here_

_been working at the convenience store_

_Managed to save just a little bit of money_

_We won't have to drive too far_

_Just 'cross the border and into the city_

_You and I can both get jobs_

_And finally see what it means to be living _

_You see my old man's got a problem_

_He live with the bottle, that's the way it is_

_He says his body's too old for working_

_his body's too young to look like his_

_My mama went off and left him_

_She wanted more from life than he could give_

_I said somebody's got to take care of him_

_So I quit school and that's what I did_

I was glad that we had kept it Tracy's version, because, honestly guys who do a cover of this song change the words. In the chorus, it really didn't matter, but other than that, it really did, because it was told in her point of view.

_You got a fast car_

_Is it fast enough that we can fly away?_

_We gotta make a decision_

_Leave tonight or live and die this way_

Finally we had finished, and the applause, and cheering continued. I was glad we had one more song to do, because, I couldn't stand being beside Noah any longer. In my head, I wanted to push him off stage, and see him break his neck, but I wouldn't be able to do that with DQ'ing us, and there was no way in hell I was going to do that. Then Jude had stood front in center.

_Ladies and gentlemen_

_I'd like top introduce myself_

Then Spoiled Prince Charming came into view, and showed off his shirt, and tie off to the audience. Was there anything that he couldn't do without showing off? Atticus, he was another person I couldn't stand. He always had to be perfect.

_Can't take that 9 to 5_

_But I still look good in a suit and tie_

_I feel so alive_

_Couldn't kill my vibe even if you tried whip!_

_These boys and girls_

_Tryna chance the whole wide world with_

_Keep breaking rules_

_Me and my friends, these crazy fools_

Then the rest of the group chimed in, as we were supposed to. After rehearsing for what seemed like forever, I still hated this song. It was almost as bad as _All About that Bass, _even though she had turned into a two hit wonder.

_Say heeey, we're just trying to paint the town tonight_

_Hey, we ain't' coloring inside the lines_

_Hey, we're just tying to live our lives_

_Hey, we're just tying to live our lives_

_Oooh, I'm so alive_

_Oooh, I'm so alive_

_Oooh, oh I'm so alive, so alive_

_Oooh, oh I'm so alive, so alive_

Finally we had finished up our set, and left the stage. I was doing fine until Noah ran into me at the end of the performance.

"Watch where your going!" I state to him angrily.

"I said I was sorry, besides, what crawled up your ass, and died today?" he inquired, and just walked into the males dressing room as though nothing had happened. So typical of Noah. Honestly, I wish I was able to tell him that my parents were killed in a plane crash, but no, of all people, I wasn't going to tell him that.

-Second Chance-

-Brycen-

"So which cutie has your eye?" Amy asks me, as I was standing the wing, so I could see better. Damn. How was she so good at noticing that, especially, since I wasn't moving to Florida, and I hadn't told anyone that yet. I told Devan, but that was while I was still crushing on him.

"Left back row," I confess to her, as I look her in the eye. I was I knew how to get her and Atticus back together, but I had a feeling that wouldn't happen for a while.

"You should talk to him later," she mentions, before I decide to change the subject, and they turn the song to _Turn the Page_. I was impressed people still remembered the song. Then again, how could they not? It was one of the biggest song of Seger's song in the seventies, and since then someone always covered it.

"What happened between you and _AF_ anyways?" I finally asked curiously. I hoped she would ask me, because, after all Atticus had been my best friend since I moved here. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to," I add, and then turn my attention back to the back row cutie.

"He said he was gay," she tells me, as though, she was sad about it.

"Amy dear, if there is one thing I know about AF, it is that he isn't gay, I should know that because, I kissed him once, and trust me, there was no gay involvement," I tell her honestly.

"Then why did he say he was?" she asks me curiously, and I regret to myself I had told her. It wasn't any of my business. Then _Musical Street_ had turned onto their last song, and I knew it would be time to see who had won this soon.

"I'm not the one who you should be asking. Matter of fact, I shouldn't have said anything," I tell her. "If you want to know, you should go ask him," I add, and then it had gone silent between us.

That was when my phone had gone off. It had been from Devan, and what I saw was something I didn't expect. Him, and another boy practically making out in a selfie, and a message that had stated "I screwed up. You can't tell Livvy". I didn't answer back, and instead ignored it, because, I didn't want any part of this.

"Everything okay?" Amy asks, as I come back, and see _Musical Street_ finishing up.

"Yeah, it's fine, anyways, here comes Backrow Cutie," I tell her happily, and then she gives me the thumbs up, and leaves towards the rest of _Impulse._

"Hi, I'm Brycen, and I must say, you were amazing," I tell him, as he comes down beside me, and I get a good look of his hazel eyes. His hair was spiked, as though he had tried to be Jasper Cullen at some point, and I imagined what else he looked good in besides that robe he was wearing.

"Well thank you. You weren't so bad yourself. I'm Ethan," he tells me happily, as though, he had seen me earlier, and I hadn't known it. I wanted to ask him more questions.

"If you don't have to leave so fast after this, do you want to go get out of here for a bit?" I ask him without thinking, and hoping that he would say yes, I was also hoping he wasn't thinking that I was asking for a hookup. I never saw the point to those.

"You're not trying to hook up with me are you?" he asks curiously. It was then I had recognized the British accent, and wonder why I hadn't noticed it before. If only I could do something besides stare at him.

"Nope. Just coffee. Even if it is from our cafeteria," I tell him honestly, and then smile at him.

"That sounds interesting. I guess I'll have to come find you then," he tells me, and then heads in the direction of his group. I couldn't believe I was about to have a coffee date with this boy. Then I snapped back into reality.

As we took our places on stage with our groups, the AV team had decided to do a montage of all the songs that we had performed this afternoon, and then had stopped the music when the announcer had come back on stage. I look over, and see Katy, and Miley holding hands. Amy, and Atticus were on separate sides of each other, and noted that they hadn't talked yet. Noah looked happy, but maybe that was because his boyfriend was there in the audience. Then the announcer had pulled us back in.

"For results that we've all been waiting for. In second place, by one point is _Musical Street_, and moving on to Seabrook Regionals are..._Impulse_," he tells us, and everyone else, then the auditorium erupted into applause, and cheering. I join the rest of the group, as we hug, and then I head to find Ethan.

"So you're not celebrating with your group?" he asks, as I meet up with him, and he looks shocked, though deep down, he really wasn't.

"Nope. Coffee sounds more fun, besides, they probably don't even notice I'm gone," I tell him honestly as we head for the cafeteria, and he mentions something about the TV show _Breaking Bad, _and I wonder why a fictional show about making Meth had been so popular. I didn't want to tell him that though.

"I should probably head back, since I think we're going to leave soon. Anyways, here's my number," he tells me, as he takes my phone, and adds his number. "It was nice meeting you," he adds, and then meets up with his group. I smile, because, I knew what the number had meant. Tomorrow would be the hard part.

"You're not sleeping with him are you?" Atticus asks, as he sees me walking back. How had Atticus even seen us? Was he watching us or something?

"No. Besides, you're not my older brother, so why should it matter?" I ask him. It was Atticus, and I wasn't so sure I wanted to know what he was going to say afterwords. Then I try to get into the dressing room, but he doesn't let me.

"Good because, I've got a bad vibe about him," Atticus tells me again, as he holds me from getting into the dressing room, which was now pissing me off.

"Neither do you," he points out, as he finally shows he's giving up, about holding me back from the dressing room. "Besides, your girlfriend is wanting to talk to you," I add before I storm into the dressing room, and grab my stuff, and make way for the exit. Maybe, I had just lost a best friend, but honestly, I didn't care.

* * *

><p>We found out what happened to Miley's parents. Devan cheated on Livvy. We also met Brycen's love interest, and is portrayed by Matt Kane. Atticus doesn't approve, and there was a showdown (sort of.)<p>

Song credits: _Battle Cry -_ Imagine Dragons, _Try - _Colbie Callait, _Fast Car -_ Boyce Avenue cover, _Alive - _Jinx.

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